The Chosen One- A Reylo Story
by reylo.pinklady02
Summary: What happens when the two most powerful living force users continue their force bond meetings in secret? What consequences await the Resistance and First Order because of it? (ALTERNATE STORYLINE, DETOURS AFTER LAST JEDI BUT USES MINOR TROS SPOILERS) Rated M for Sexual Situations and Language (IN PROGRESS with weekly updates) -All characters belong to Disney/LucasFilm-
1. Chapter 1

"Leia..." Rey said with tears emerging in her eyes. "I didn't mean to..."

Mixed with disappointment yet empathy for the girl, she pulled her into a hug.

"It's okay..." she said trying to calm her.

"I'm so sorry... I can only imagine what you think of me..." Rey cried

"I know it's frightening... but it's already done with... and we must face it."

Rey fell away from the hug. "But he must feel it... he must know already... he could wipe out the Resistance knowing I'm here... especially like this..."

"Considering the... relationship... you have... I'm sure he would be too conflicted to hurt you..." Leia said

"I couldn't live with him hurting the rest of you..."

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

"Hey Rey, it's all of us... we saw you upset and that Leia was with you... we just wanted to see if everything was okay." Finn said in a concerned manner

'Do you want them to know?' Leia asked through the force.

Rey nodded. Knowing that although they might be upset, they would have to be aware for safety of the resistance.

Leia walked over to the door and opened it, letting Finn, Poe, and Rose walk in.

"Rey, what's up?" Poe asked at seeing her sitting on her bed in such distraught. He placed a hand on her shoulder.

Rey shook her head. Her eyes leaking with tears as she shut them tightly.

"Rey, if that idiot hurt you, I'll kill him myself!" Finn said overconfidently.

Leia darted at Finn. It was still her son trapped inside the facade of that monster.

"Sorry..." Finn quieted

"Finn!" Rose said in disappointment. Plus, she's stronger than that... he could never hurt her to this degree... it's something more than that..."

Leia went behind the group and shut the door so that no one passing through the halls could hear their conversation.

Rey looked to Leia in denial.

'It's up to you' Leia told her through the force

"Will you trust... that regardless of whatever I tell you... I am still your friend... and am still on your side?" Rey said with all the sincerity in her being. She stared into their eyes. Moving from person to person looking down on her.

"Rey, you're my best friend, I'm always gonna trust you." Finn said

"You got my trust Rey." Poe assured

Rey looked to Rose. Who she knew understood her past with Finn... who became jealous of their friendship at times... but who also took loyalty and trust extremely seriously after losing her sister to the fight against the First Order... but against all odds, she said the words in sincerity,

"Of course Rey, whatever it is, we're all here for you." She smiled empathetically.

Leia set a hand on Rey's other shoulder, solidifying the fact that, they were always there for her. The family she'd longed for.

Rey took a deep breath.

"I'm not supposed to be like this... a Jedi should be strong..." she said

'But you're also human, Rey' a voice came to her head. It was not Luke's, and definitely not Leia's.


	2. Chapter2

'A Jedi is human, and with being human comes emotions... but a true Jedi... is one who uses them for good.'

"I bare the child of Ben Solo..." Rey replied steadily to the voice, but out loud...

The three stared at Rey. Eyes widening and trying to put the pieces together.

Leia was taken aback by the use of her son's name. But her eyes filled when she realized why Rey had said it that way... he was still there...

"Kylo Ren?!" Finn nearly shouted in confusion

"No... Ben Solo..." Rey repeated

"Just? How? Why?" Poe scrambled in his questions

"It's a force bond..." Rey said calmly. "It started when I found Luke on Ach-To... Ben and I started meeting... it was annoying at first... difficult... but one night we touched hands... and it was like we were in the same room... that's when Luke ran in a stopped it... after the night he killed Snoke... we kept having meetings without meaning to... and... things changed... I've met Ben Solo..."

"Meet would be an understatement..." Poe inserted

"I think that's all we need to hear..." Leia offered

"Damn Rey that force thing is freaky..." Finn said

"If I knew conception was possible through the force do you really think I really would have let him-"

"Alright then..." Leia interrupted wanting to quickly change the subject

"Rey, what are you going to do?" Rose asked

"Whatever your choice is Rey, I support you." Finn stepped up, "what, I support women's rights..." Finn said looking at the other's faces

"Not so fast Finn..." Leia explained, "this is probably the most powerful force user the galaxy has ever seen we're talking about... she or he will be born wielding both darkness and light... they will be... considering their lineage and Rey's power with such little training... beyond limits the galaxy has never seen..."

The three swallowed in slight fear.

"General, The could be an incredible asset to the resistance..." Poe stated

"See, planning a child's future before they're even born doesn't go too well... at least in my experience..." Leia explained, "That's the issue here..."

"He's probably felt it already... I've been trying my hardest to keep the bond closed so he can't read me... but that's probably enough of a signal because after seeing someone almost every night and-..." she stopped herself, "then avoiding them for a week is probably strange enough... if he finds out, I know he will take me... and destroy the rest of you and that is my greatest fear..." Rey admitted, fighting tears again. "He would do anything to make them an asset to the First Order..." she stared down and covered her face.

She took a deep breath into the palms of her hands.

"What have I done?" She asked herself


	3. Chapter 3

'What's wrong with enjoying someone you're in love with? It is a natural human instinct.' Said another voice in her head, making her jump. This was not the same voice as earlier.

"You good?" Poe asked as the group had seen her jump.

'One a Jedi should control.' Another voice argued

'Don't be ashamed Rey... you are human, love is human. Attraction is human.' Rebutted another voice

'Resist it Rey! He will only pull you down with him!' Another voice shouted

"Stop... stop..." she began beginning with her eyes shut, tears running down her face.

Leia panicked, realizing what was happening to the girl.

"Stop! Both of you! You are tearing her apart!" Leia shouted taking Rey's hands in her own and trying to pierce into their connection through the force.

"Do you really want her to feel your pain?" She asked and then paused, "Do you really want her to suffer the same fate?" She asked almost as if to another person

"Leave her alone, this is her choice," Leia demanded.

Rey suddenly gave out, collapsing, only to be caught by Leia, and then Finn to help her lay her comfortably on her bed. It's almost like her energy had been drained by all the voices arguing in her head until they finally left her alone.

"What happened? Is she okay?!" Finn asked

"She'll be okay... Leia answered hopefully, but deep down she dreaded what this could mean.

"Ben doesn't know... but he feels her distraught and he's suspicious..." Leia said fearfully

"That's not a good sign..." Rose said, "Does it mean we have to relocate?"

"When Rey wakes up... I will ask her what she felt and we'll go from there." Leia responded

Finn walked over to Rey and applied a cold pack to her forehead.

As Rey slept, she heard the first voice reappear again from earlier. The strange one she'd never really heard before.

'You carry balance, light, dark, but most importantly grey. Force shall protect destiny. Trust in the force, trust in yourself, not the jumble of voices, Rey.'

'What is my destiny?' She asked the voice

'Grey. You've intertwined light with darkness and darkness with light. And you will deliver the chosen one I could not be.'

This voice made Rey feel a sense of calm. Not like the sense of moral duty she felt when wanting to make Luke, Leia, and Han proud... not the angst, lust, and paradoxical emotions she felt with Ben... but a sense of righteousness... a sense of everything... and nothing. Like this voice has been through it and back.

'But take her or him and let them know you care... never leave them behind... let them know this is all their choice... it's better in the long run, to let one decide, and not force them until they will rebel and make all the wrong choices. Remember this Rey.'

These were the final words she heard before waking up to Finn holding the ice pack on her head. And the others sitting around waiting for her to wake up.

"She's awake!" Finn announced as he saw her eyes flutter open.

Leia ran to her side instantly

"Rey, what happened, what did you feel?"

"A voice... it was calming..."

"Was it Ben's?" Leia asked fearfully, "Luke's?" She asked

"No... one I've never heard before... but Ben is not going to come after us... at least... not at the moment..."

The four took a sigh of relief.

"But the voice told me to trust in myself... that my fate was of both powers blended seamlessly... and that I would deliver the chosen one he failed to be..."

"Rey..." Leia began in disbelief "you spoke to... Anakin Skywalker..."

Rey stared at her in shock. "Then he came to tell me... that... Ben's and my child will be the chosen one... and that I must protect them..."

Each person in the room froze at the revelation.

I just wish if I knew it was right or not to tell him... Rey thought without letting Leia know what she was thinking

Rey set a hand on her forehead as it throbbed beneath the ice.

"I think you better rest a bit Rey..." Finn said

"He's right..." Leia added, "If there's anything you need, you let us know." She smiled at Rey, gripping her hand lightly with a motherly warmth of support.

The four then left Rey on her own to relax.


	4. Chapter 4

Rey lifted herself up to sit upright on her bed. Kicking off her boots, letting her hair down and removing her belt and white sashes. Turning to her nightstand, she picked up a more comfortable pair of pants and shirt and stood up to change by the mirror. Standing in just her undergarments, she stared at herself in the mirror, seeing the scars that lined her arms and legs and bandaged wound on her shoulder still healing from fighting the guards that night with Ben. Then she looked to her abdomen, toned, strong, and built for that of a Jedi. How long would she be able to maintain this image before everything became too apparent to hide? Everyone would know. And it was not just about her image. But their safety. Her safety, Bens safety in the first order, the resistance and practically the entire galaxy.

Just then, a voice boomed behind her.

"What, did you just think I wasn't going to do anything about it?" He asked.

Rey turned in shock, realizing that she was not blocking her thoughts. She quickly grabbed a robe hanging beside the mirror and threw it around her body.

"Rey..." he rolled his eyes. "Be serious... like I've never seen you like that..."

She held the robe tightly around her, still feeling vulnerable, considering the situation.

"I'm not my father... I wouldn't let you go through this practically alone, you know..." he said

Rey boiled with regret at her not shielding her thoughts to him.

"I'm not going to hurt you Rey..." he said sensing her. "It's pointless to block me out... I stopped doing that to you... I already know about it..."

"What are you going to do to my friends? Your mother? That's what I'm concerned about." She said

"They have nothing to do with this..."

"Ben... your mother has been there for me... morning sickness, tiredness, emotions... all of it... before I even knew myself..."

"Because you're the daughter she wanted and never had." He snapped

"Maybe because I'm carrying your child!"

"Then why would she care for it?! She never wanted a son. She never wanted me. Why would she want another 'monster'?!" He shouted

"Because Ben Solo is not a monster... he's a good man... but he's trapped..."

He stared into her eyes. For a moment she could almost see the innocence and panic of a boy, creeping behind darkened eyes. Who was scared to have a child, one more powerful than anyone could ever imagine, with the Jedi of the Resistance, to make it all the worse, as he, was the Supreme Leader of The First Order.

Seeing and sensing his deep inner turmoil, Rey reached a hand behind his head slowly pulling him into a soft kiss.

"I missed you." He finally admitted

"I didn't know what you'd think of me..." she said shamefully, "I'd never done anything like that before knowing you... but there's no excuse..."

"With each passing day the force becomes more and more intricate... how were we to know this could happen through the force... and not to do anything to protect ourselves..."

She looked away in embarrassment. "I'm only the second Jedi to ever break the code on pregnancy..." she said

"And what do you think, Sith just go around creating children that could rise against us? Whores are sterilized around here..."

Rey glared at him.

"Prostitutes," he corrected, "but of course I wouldn't have much personal knowledge on that..."

"I can't stand being so weak..." she admitted

"You aren't the only one."

Rey stared back at him.

"You're grandfather told me she or he could be the chosen one." She bit her lip hoping she'd make the right decision of telling him.

"Vader?" He asked in shock

"Anakin- But he strongly advised allowing them to be grey... supporting their dimensionality... not forcing them into one side or the other... and just... being there for them... giving them the choice and allowing them to discover their own calling in all of this..." .

"To let them be at peace..." she said

She turned away. Clinging onto hope that he would understand.

He pulled her chin up delicately. Staring into her eyes.

"I'll protect you... I promise..."

"I think I can manage myself..."

"With the First Order... this is personal... if they knew it were any child they would take you, just knowing it may have your powers... if they were to find out it's both of ours... and that they very well may be the chosen one they will hold you hostage for the rest of your pregnancy and kill you... but see, the thing is I don't want any of that to happen either..."

"Am I allowed to tell Leia in confidence that you won't come after me? She's very concerned about me being taken there in this state."

Ben was agitated at the question. But seeing how much Rey would actually have to rely on Leia emotionally through this as the only older woman around her, he decided to rethink it. "If you wish... but no one else is to know... as a general she can't be going around spreading this... it wouldn't just make you look bad Rey... I'd be seen as a traitor for having a forbidden relationship with a Jedi... for allowing a general of the resistance to know such sensitive information!"

"Ben she's also your mother... don't you think she ever thinks about your safety in that world? How much pain you're forced to be in?" She said wrapping a hand around his arm.

Ben remained silent.

"How could she still think about me the same anymore after I killed Han Solo..."

"Because you're still her son... Ben Solo is her son... Kylo Ren killed him..."

"It's hard to tell the difference between them sometimes..."

"Ren is just an extremity of your anger and pain... Ben is everything... both light and darkness and you know he would want both in his life... he should have never been forced to choose one or the other... but he's smarter now... he would never do that to another, but he could learn how to forgive the ones that wronged him."

She then moved a hand up to his dark draping hair. "You don't have to choose. Just accept that both are part of you. Don't keep trying to drive one out..."

She then pulled his face closer, forehead to forehead, feeling the tears rush down his face.

"I feel it too..." she said referring to the same painful pull to the dark as he felt to the light.

He wrapped his arms around her torso, pulling her in as close as he could. Slowly, they fell into a deep kiss, with Kylo feeling a rush of light and Rey feeling a rush of darkness.

They both felt such a sense of peace, a moment free of confusion, pain, or responsibility.

Ben slid his hands beneath the robe and lifted Rey up. He carried her back to bed with their lips still entertained. Ben placed himself on top of her, sliding his lips down her neck and running his hands beneath the robe.


	5. Chapter 5

Rey grasped the buttons along Ben's neckline.

Sensing her rising tension, Ben removed his hands and threw off his gloves. He applied his hands back onto Rey, feeling the heat rising from her skin and the muscles along her abdomen. But he kept his hand placed here a little longer. He almost felt the force begin to radiate from it. Feeling an intense rush of calm and peace.

Rey placed her hand atop his.

"I know..." she whispered feeling a smile appear on her face

Ben began kissing down her chest, leaving a trail from her neck down to her abdomen.

Rey wriggled under the tickle of his soft lips down her body.

"I love you." He whispered almost under his breath

"I know."

"Fuck you..." He said with an undertone of amusement as he raised himself back up to meet Rey's face.

Rey laughed slightly, "I love you Ben..." she whispered, tugging at the top buttons of his shirt again and releasing one by one. After a few more, she just became frustrated, pulling it apart in one fierce tug, and throwing it on the floor beside them.

Ben was too far in a trance to care. He just wanted to be near her. Someone who understood his pain. He reached under her back, unhooking the latch on her bra, swiftly pulling it away from her shoulders and staring at her once again.

He fondled her gently, while his lips remained locked with hers.

"We need to meet somewhere..." he said kissing her neck lightly, "No First Order, no Resistance... just us..."

"I'd like that." She responded. She then thought for a moment, "how come we still have these meetings even though Snoke is dead?"

"I'm not sure... but I'm not exactly complaining..." he said pressing his lips to her neck.

Rey smiled, "I guess that makes two of us."

Just as they began to settle in each other's arms before progressing any further, a knock came about on Rey's door. Both heard it and were startled by it.

"Rey, it's me." Leia said, "I wanted to check on you and bring in your dinner, dear."

Ben and Rey searched each other's eyes.

"Just a moment..." Rey said trying to keep her composure despite the awkward situation

'I'm sorry' she told Ben through the force, upset at their needing to part as he was already physically aroused after 10 minutes of kissing and touching.

'It's fine' he responded flatly, but obviously filled with disappointment

They kissed each other a final time before Ben disappeared and Rey wrapped her robe around her once again.

"Come in..." she told Leia.

Leia then entered the room with a rolling tray of hot soup and fresh bread and placed it next to Rey's bed.

"How are you feeling Rey?" She asked sitting on the end of her bed.

"Fine... fine... much better actually..." Rey nearly blushed but realized she had to tell Leia.

"I spoke to Ben..." Rey admitted

"I wouldn't be surprised..." Leia said noticing the bra thrown to the floor.

Rey turned a bright crimson red. Everything ended so fast she forgot to pick up any evidence.

Leia laughed. "Honey it's fine... we've all been through that. I'm just joking around... maybe still be a bit careful with what he does to your mind though..." she changed her tone to seriousness.

Rey took a deep breath. "He already knew, Leia... but he said he'd protect me from the first order... and that this is personal... he allowed me to tell you but only under the condition that you wouldn't tell anyone about him being the father... or about him not coming after me... I know we told Finn, Poe, and Rose, but we have to ask them to keep it a secret also..."

"Of course Rey... I'll take care of everything." She set a hand over hers in such a maternal manner.

Rey smiles slightly but then looked away. "What is everyone going to think of me?" I broke Jedi code... the father will be a mystery to anyone else in the Resistance or the first order... just... what is this?! She asked. "Trust me, if we knew that this was possible through the force we would have made some better choices..." she sighed

"I know you would have Rey... but this is what the force has dealt us... and we will figure it out together... look, when I got pregnant with Ben, Han and I weren't even married yet... it wasn't even too long after we took down the empire... I was just a few years older than you and he had a good 14 years on me... I was absolutely terrified. I wasn't even sure if I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. Hell, I wasn't even thinking about children yet at 24... I had a whole career still ahead of me...I mean... it's not quite like a forbidden relationship between a Jedi and Supreme Leader... but our images were bound to be destroyed if we didn't make a choice about having Ben quickly..."

"How did you make your choice?" Rey asked

"Well... Luke was still around at this time... and brought to our attention that any child of ours would carry the force strongly, and could be an excellent Jedi someday... but also... I just had this instinct that I wanted him... you know? That no matter how difficult it was going to be we wanted to be his parents..." she said with tears held behind her eyes. "When a mother and her child both carry the force... there is just something there that no light or darkness can interfere with..."

"I still don't understand how he could have done that to Han... but then again too conflicted to hurt you..."

Leia sighed. "I don't know... but my point is your connection with your child is powerful, Rey, don't ever lose sight of that... you're probably the most important person they will ever need..." she said trying to fight tears. "Trust me, when you've failed at something so obvious and vital... the guilt never leaves you..." she said as one tear fell from her eye.

Rey moved over to give Leia a hug. The woman had been strong her entire life- endured hell and back, and hell again. She remained so strong for everyone else, often neglecting her own emotions for the greater good.

"I'm sorry Rey..." she said wiping the tear away. "I'm supposed to be helping you with this..."

"Leia, it's alright..." Rey said taking her hand. You're not only like the mother I never had, but you're the grandmother of my child... we're here for one another... I mean you've given me everything since I've gotten here- clothes, food, a home, a family of friends, but most importantly your friendship and respect and I will always treasure that..." Rey paused. "I just need your guidance now more than ever... Luke trained me in the ways of the force... but if I'm really going to do this I need your advice on how to be the mother of another force user... what I shouldn't do..."

"Rey, I will always help you with that. Sometimes... failure can be the greatest teacher..." she said with a heavy heart. "I will never let anyone else go through what my little boy did..." she said slowly shaking her head. "He never got to be the man he dreamed of being... and it's our fault for being so busy when he needed us most..."

"He wants to meet with me... with no means to represent the Resistance or First Order... just as ourselves... he is very concerned about them..."

"I can only imagine... my Ben wanting responsibility that doesn't come with some unique ultimate power? He is as terrified as you are... he's not ready to have a child either..."

"He said he wanted to help me though..." Rey said. "He said he wants to be a part of this... on a personal level... and from what I feel... he means it..."

"Rey... just... be careful..." Leia said. "Even though he's been alluring you as much as he has... be cautious in his requests... especially when you plan a physical meeting... there you will have no protection of force bonds..."

"I know..." Rey took a breath. "But he is the father... and it's morally difficult to deny him any relation to them..." she buried her face into her palms.

"I know..." Leia sighed. "Just be careful with him Rey..." She said standing up.

"I may leave in the middle of the night when no one is awake..." Rey said. "But I'll return..."

Leia took her hand and smiled. "You're the only one who can bring him home Rey... maybe not this time... not this meeting... but I feel it." She said. "His love for you is what will change him."

"I know... but my love for him could change me and I fear it..." she said

"Rey... you are stronger than you know... listen to your soul..."

"I will." Rey answered before Leia released her hand and left her quarters.

_Author's Note: Yeah so I'm actually kind of nervous to add a sex scene to this story because I wasn't expecting all the views this fanfic was getting XD at first I just expected friends to read and stuff but not as many people that have actually been reading and saving! please add comments on how this is going so far and I will try to update the story every day or every other day as I'm finally on my last winter vacation of high school :'( anyways Happy Holidays, go watch The Rise of Skywalker, I've seen it twice and it's incredible except for one little thing :'( and please leave comments!_

_-Michelle (also yes, I changed my user name from pinkL80s to 02 lol_


	6. Chapter 6

As Leia exited her quarters, Rey began eating her food almost ravenously. She hadn't eaten a lot that day and found her hunger even more overwhelming lately. Suddenly, she felt a change in the room and set down her spoon.

"You were thinking about me," Rey said feeling Ben's presence re-emerge

He scoffed "how else was I supposed to fix it?" He argued clearly referring to his arousal before their parting.

Rey smirked at the thought. "Is that why you've thought of me often?"

"Shut up..." He said flatly with a hint of embarrassment. "It's not my fault you blocked me out for a week."

Rey found his anger quite amusing at times. She knew him all too well to not realize that some of these snaps came from a place of image concern.

From the amusement she found her mind sinking into a different area... about his authority and control in situations much more personal than the First Order. Her spine shivered at the images of his gloved hands running against her skin and herself back in the interrogation chair where they had first met... but maybe not under the context of knowing about the map to Luke Skywalker... She had no idea why those visions invaded her mind once in a while.

"Now there's an idea..." he interrupted suggestively. "I thought you'd be patient enough at least."

Rey's face blushed a deep shade of red again.

"What do you mean..." she said denying the fact that he'd read her mind.

"I'm not the only one Rey..." he reminded her and held out a small stone.

"What's that?" She asked before touching it.

"A map to an uncharted planet. Follow it and I will be waiting." He said

"How can I trust you're alone?"

He looked at the control system of the craft he was flying in with autopilot, allowing her to see that he was flying in a single rider craft and that there were no other ships around him.

"Only for personal reasons?"

"Only personal..." he reassured.

She took the stone as he set his eyes back on manually piloting the craft.

She stood up and walked towards her closet, allowing the robe to slip down her arms. To where her bra laid on the floor.

Sensing a strange turbulent like motion in the craft Ben was piloting, she turned only to see him avoiding her sight.

"Can't you at least wait until the bond closes?" He snapped trying to keep his composure.

"See how it feels? She asked turning to his full view as he forced the bond shut with a motion of his hand.

_He's in control of it now_... she thought not knowing if this was necessarily a good or bad thing...

_Author's Note:_

_Sorry for this short chapter! But it was a pretty quick scene and I'm working on more chapters at the moment! :) I really hope I'm getting the characters down okay... I mean Ben is pretty much good to her and her only but he's still in this strange in-between during the Last Jedi still with a lot of anger and resentment in him, that he even takes out on Rey from time to time. But I think I just find it kind of cool to explore in this fanfic how even with his snaps she always knows how to put him in his place ;P -Michelle_


	7. Chapter 7

Rey changed back into her usual outfit, and took a sack from her closet, beginning to pack a few days worth of clothes, food portions, and supplies in it. She wasn't sure how long they'd be there; of course, there was the fact of their had strong feelings for one another, however, their personalities always clashed at a certain point to where they could no longer stand to be in each others company. It was a strange relationship they had. But their disputes seemed to occur more often when discussing Resistance and First Order matters, subjects they agreed to not bring up during their impending meeting.

'Rey...' a voice reappeared in her head. Not Ben's. Not Leia's. Not Luke's. But Anakin's again.

'Embrace the spirit of Ben Solo... but be wary of Kylo Ren... both are still alive in him... even towards you.' he said

'Master Skywalker, is my destiny to turn your grandson?' Rey asked

'That is only up to you.'

'I've heard the legends of you turning to the darkness to save your wife Padme... should I try to change Ben Solo... or will it only help in him turning me?'

'Rey, there is a big difference between you and Ben and Padme and myself... I loved Padme... but I gave in to the darkness before I even gave the light a chance to save her... I was wrong Rey... but Ben, he's been in darkness for years, only feeling the pull from the light more than ever since you came into his life, and are carrying his child...'

'Will his love for me be what saves him?'

'As my daughter already told you, you are the only one who can save him now.'

'Have you ever tried to speak with him?' Rey asked, 'I know he's tried to reach out to you.'

'Not to me...' Anakin responded. 'His calls to Darth Vader go unheard because Vader no longer exists... I have tried to speak to him... but he has blocked everyone out, except for you.'

'Snoke told him Vader was still in the force...'

'Snoke did... he would have done anything to keep pulling Ben into darkness... the persona is nothing more than a legend now... Vader is gone within the force...'

'So Snoke lied to him?' Rey asked

'Countless times, no doubt...'

'He felt betrayed by him...' Rey realized 'Snoke made him feel so much anger at not being able to speak to Darth Vader despite telling him he still existed within the force... he caused him so much pain... not being able to understand who he truly was... Snoke made him feel like he would never be who he wanted him to be... just as Luke and his parents made him feel as a Jedi... is that why he killed him?'

'You should already know why he did that, Rey. He would have kept trying to win his master's approval whether it was easy or not...'

Rey stayed silent, leaving Anakin to nod his head as she realized the true reason he'd killed Snoke.

'You must go to him Rey... but do not make turning him your first priority during your meeting. If the force wills it, he will make that decision on his own, as I did for the love of my son and daughter, and he for you...'

'What if he only wishes to turn me?' She asked

'He will never stop trying to do that until he turns, because it is what's easiest for him. He must forgive his own sins, and find meaning in saving his soul for himself. Your job is only to be yourself, Rey. Be in his life. But be the light in his life. Do not fall for the darkness he tries to allure you with. You are stronger than all of it. Stronger than your past. Stronger than your love for him. Even stronger than the fact that you carry his child. If I learned one thing throughout my life Rey, is that darkness solves nothing. You may believe it will bring you peace, but it only brings you pain.'

'Yes, Master Skywalker...' She nodded before he vanished into the force.

Rey picked up her bag and headed into the night. Taking the Falcon she followed the map given to her by Ben, and only hoped she would return as she was at that moment.


	8. Chapter 8

She piloted the falcon, eyeing the lightsaber in her bag. She thought about leaving it, but brought it just in case she ran into any trouble on the way there. She hoped Ben wouldn't take it as a threat, although he would have definitely brought his anyway.

She entered hyperspace, feeling conflicted about her meeting with him. She wanted to get to the bottom of all of this. What they felt- even if that didn't matter so much anymore granted the current situation. But she worried about him trying to change her. Using their feelings and their child as a means to make her feel obligated to join him.

"You think I'm going to try to turn you now." He said appearing in the seat beside her.

"Ben this isn't the time..." she said

"It's never the time is it." he snapped

"What more do you want from me? I'm coming to see you without any protection from the Resistance, under no agenda of changing you... what do you want?" She asked firmly yet with a hint of despair

He shut the bond quickly, leaving her questions unanswered.

For a moment she thought about abandoning the whole meeting. But something convinced her against it.

Adding the coordinates into the system, she realized this was a very much charted planet after all- just one she'd never heard of. One this ship had even traveled to many years before. She wondered why he had told her it was uncharted. But decided to keep traveling towards it.

She eventually approached the snow planet of Hoth, having no idea what the significance of this planet or why he chose it. She'd just have to wait and see what all of this was about.

Through the window, she saw a cave opening structured by an igloo, with a dark figure appearing outside of it and reentering the moment she neared.

_He must be pissed I came with this ship_... she nearly laughed.

'There's a station inside of this base large enough for the Falcon. A storm is coming soon.' Ben told her through the force, 'on the south side of the cave, I opened it for you.'

She took a deep breath and circled the hill, seeing an open port emerge behind the snow.

The ceiling closed above her as the Millennium Falcon hit the floor of the abandoned rebel base. Rey then collected her belongings and exited the ship.

'Where are you?' She thought

He then stepped out from the rebuilt command center, mask and all. But Rey was not amused.

"Really, again with the mask..." she said with an edge of annoyance

He took it off swiftly, taking a look at it himself and returning a look at her.

"The knights of Ren. they repaired it for me. I thought you'd like it, maybe would like one yourself someday-"

"Ben!" Rey stopped him in complete disappointment. "I didn't come here for this! If all you want to do is argue and talk about your stupid mask I'm not staying here." She argued. "I came here to talk to you about our predicament and I am not playing your game."

He nodded, barely masking the intimidation he felt by her standing up to him. The intimidation wasn't all bad though. It almost drew him in even more...

Rey rolled her eyes realizing what he thought about her. She was trying to be serious and now he was just getting turned on.

"Be serious Ben..."

"Where did seriousness ever get us?" He asked, "fighting each other? Wounding someone in a Forest?"

"That's not what I'm talking about."

"You're angry with me because I got you pregnant. I know!"

"Ben is this what you think all of this is about? Me being angry? It was my choice too. I'm concerned. About your safety. My safety. My friends' safety. Your mother's safety... and frankly I don't understand what's between us but I can't go on without understanding what it is. I don't even understand why we can't have a civil conversation anymore as we did once on Ahch-To unless it's about the next time we'll have sex... is that all you want?"

He turned his face away in disappointment. _Of course that's what you'd think..._

"Then what am I supposed to think? You already drive me insane and I can't get you out of my mind..."

"Why did you bring my father's ship here?" He asked flatly changing the subject

"He left it to me. I couldn't exactly take another ship from the Resistance that doesn't belong to me."

"You're not his daughter."

"I never betrayed him." She snapped

"You don't know what betraying is." He shot back coldly

"I'm not the one who grew up with parents."

"Parents would have disappointed you..."

"See, this is what I can't stand!" She said staring into his eyes with tears emerging in hers. "I don't know how I feel what I do but it's overwhelming." She said through tears, about to run back into the Falcon when a strong hand wrapped around her arm.

Her eyes opened feeling his presence right behind her.

Reluctantly she turned to face him as his hand slid down her arm to take hers.

He lifted her chin up with his other hand searching her brown tear-filled eyes which pulled at his heart every time.

"I'm sorry..." he said almost under his breath before their lips met with near aggression, yet soft and gentle in intent.

_Hope this chapter was alright, and maybe even a bit better! A friend has been reading through the new chapters since I've accidentally been leaving some errors in past ones. I apologize for those but again I never expected this audience. It's kind of intimidating yet so exciting since the highest amount of people that have read one of my old fanfictions on this site is like 5 or something. XD I promise though that the presentation of everything will improve. ;) I feel like I write so fast and want to get my chapters out so quickly that mistakes just slip by me sometimes! If you've been sticking around though, thank you so much! And I hope you enjoy the new chapters to come!_

_-Michelle_


	9. Chapter 9

As they released from the kiss she sniffled through her tears and placed her forehead on his chest. All he could do was wrap his arms around her and hold her close. The girl he'd set out to kill not so long ago. Now in his arms. Who he'd practically give his life to protect at this point. He couldn't understand why. But gave into her warmth, beauty, intelligence, strength, but most of all her spirit. It was calling at him so strongly that he couldn't resist it.

There's a lot she could forgive me for... but not that... he sighed feeling the darkness slip into his mind once again.

Rey didn't respond to his thought. She truly didn't know if she could forgive him or not but couldn't risk this moment with him. She had felt his feelings on the verge and back away. But there was nothing she could do at the moment except hold him.

"There are no temperature regulators in here..." he began, "We should get inside."

She nodded only moving back slightly still clinging onto each other's sides. Ben picked up her bag as they walked together into the base.

Later that night they sat within the base's private quarters. Rey sat on a bed with a blanket around her shoulders while Ben sat across from her on a seat set against the wall, as candles alone illuminated the room.

"This feels like the night we touched hands through the bond."

He nodded. Seeing her face illuminated by soft candlelight was enough to keep him speechless. Before it was firelight, but this time they were fully present in each other's company after a huge argument and were both over-analyzing, and even regretting their words used against one another.

"Does my mother know you're here?" Ben asked cutting into the awkward silence

"She knows I'm with you... but I did not tell her the planet... no one else knows where I am right now... she is going to tell them I'm working on my force abilities somewhere..."

"Hm..." he responded actually pondering what his mother thought about all of this. She probably sent Rey knowing she was his weakness.

"Your mother is relieved to know there is at least something that brings you happiness."

"She hates me. It doesn't take much to know that."

"She doesn't hate you Ben... stop saying that. You know it isn't true."

Ben looked away trying to cut off the subject.

Rey looked down at her hands resting atop her lap. Still scarred and injured from their fight against the guards.

Ben knew she was thinking about how great of a team they made when fighting. How passionate they could become as a couple. But just how terrible of people they could be towards each other. He said nothing.

"What are we going to do once they're born?" Rey finally broke the silence. "I don't think we could ever be a functional couple, not like this."

Ben didn't respond to that remark either.

"What exactly did Anakin Skywalker tell you?"

"To allow them to be neutral in the force."

"So we... send them back and forth?" He asked in confusion.

"I'm not going anywhere without my child." She stated firmly

"Then what do you suggest we do?" He asked

"We have to find a planet that's actually uncharted..." She paused poking at the lie he'd told her earlier, "and at least I must remain there with them... I don't know how you will do it being Supreme Leader, but I only know about the light side of the force. They need both of us to work together if we want to show them balance." She said

In only seconds she felt his discomfort with the situation.

"This isn't exactly what I wanted either." She said, "but it's already done."

"Can we finish the discussion in the morning?" He asked

She looked away in disappointment. "I suppose." She said rising as if about to exit.

"Where are you going?" He asked

"Back to the Falcon?" She answered in confusion

"This is Hoth... You'll freeze in there. There's no temperature control in that old thing."

"So where should I sleep in the control room? She asked

"Just-" Ben stumbled with his words trying to find something that would come on smooth.

"I'm not sleeping in the bed with you."

"It never bothered you much before." He jabbed at the fact that she was already pregnant

"Ben... I don't think I'm ready to feel all of those things again. Not like this. We have too much to work out."

"So it's that what you do? Woo men around until you get them on your string? Then dump them like yesterday's garbage?" He added coldly

"Ben you're-"

"The traitor... FN-2187... you've had feelings for him." He said searching deeply in her mind.

"I swear to you. It was nothing like this. And those feelings have disappeared. He's like a brother to me."

Ben scoffed. "They always say that... if that's true, stop thinking about him!"

"I'm saying that because I was never involved with him. Not even in the slightest. So do you really want to go there?" Rey asked sharply. "Thalia Sartori."

Ben nearly force choked her at the sound of that name. But something changed his mind as his arm fell to his side again angrily.

"Don't ever say that name again!" He shouted

"You loved her..."

He looked away angrily almost as if he were to leave the room, but Rey captured more of his thoughts.

"In Luke's Jedi Academy... when you turned..." Rey stared at him. "Luke didn't want you two together. Did he?"

Ben kept his pain and anger filled expression away from Rey's sight.

"You didn't mean to kill her..."

"I just can't shield anything from you anymore can't I?" he snapped

Rey shook her head with an empathetic expression.

"It didn't mean anything... just a teenage thing." He spoke with an edge of pain masked by indifference.

"You're first love." she specified. "I never had one of those."

"Nothing was to come of it anyway. We were only children."

"But it doesn't mean that it still doesn't haunt you knowing it was your fault."

"It doesn't matter anymore," he said coldly

"Ben..." she spoke softly stepping towards him. "I'm sorry..." she searched his dark eyes that were still unwilling to meet hers.

"You've never even tried to reach out to anyone since." She realized

"Until you." He admitted matching her gaze with tears rushing from his eyes.

"I know..." she said taking her hands and setting one to each side of his face. Trying to be strong for him only lasted so long until their connection became so intense she was feeling everything he was. Tears streamed down her cheeks as her fingers became intertwined with the black locks framing his face. She felt everything he was feeling. Grief. Anger. Resentment. But most of all fear. The fear he felt about accidentally killing Rey too in a moment of pure anger. Losing her. Someone he actually deeply and profoundly loved more than anything or anyone he had ever met. Rey found her mind swimming in darkness, feeling Ben's body pressed to her's, as they both sunk into the scared little children they truly were deep down.

_There is more than just pain. There is more than just anger. _Rey's mind reminded her. 'Come with me." She pleaded

'I'm not ready.' Was all his soul responded with.

Almost as if finding the water's surface after nearly drowning, Rey opened her eyes to see Ben, still holding her close, but once again on the opposite side of the force.

Ben knew about everything she had just read. In the deepest darkest side of him had she descended to. He'd never let anyone see that side of him. And probably no one else again.

"I'm not going anywhere." Rey finally spoke cutting into the silence.

"That's what Padme Amidala told Anakin Skywalker..."

"But we _both_ survive in this one." She smiled through her tears

Ben wrapped his arms around her waist, finding her lips against his.

When braking from the kiss he buried his face in her neck. Needing her warmth, compassion, and spirit more than ever. Opening up his past to himself again was not something he did often. But it did, however, bring him pain and conflict.

"Ben, we should get some rest," Rey said.

"I'll sleep in the Falcon..." he offered to make her feel more at ease.

"No." She stopped him. "I trust you." She said

The words pulled at his heart so greatly he would almost have turned right then if it wasn't for his deep looming fears. She meant it. And he felt it.

Taking the bag he brought, he left the room for a moment just to change inside the control room while she in the bedroom. The temperature control was old in there. And wasn't a great place to be at that moment. The base had been repaired but the doors were faulty and still let in blasts of cold air. The only room to be in full working condition was the private quarters. And only one was renovated enough by the First Order to house some of their soldiers in case of emergency. Kylo Ren had ordered it to be remodeled with new bedding and all. Just in case for his soldiers. He only thought about the storm that had just arrived. They were snowed in and hoped this plan to keep Rey stuck here with him for a few days would at least change something. Or if not, give him an excuse to be around her without telling her how much it hurt to be away from her.

"So that's why you chose Hoth." She said emerging from the quarters seeing him with more relaxed black pants and draping black shirt.

He couldn't respond, whether it be for seeing her in her nightclothes or her realization at why he chose Hoth.

She sighed knowing he'd just never stop thinking like that. Looking at her body in ways that kept making her feel reduced to an object. She was dressed in soft tan pants, paired with a shirt that covered her torso but that did not touch her arms. It was a very thin material, however. Rey held the blanket tightly around her and turned back into the private quarters feeling the icy air that filled the control room. Ben followed her and shut the door behind them.

She sat down on the side of the bed furthest from the door and met his eyes staring at her.

"I'm sorry Rey... it's hard not to look at you." He said. But in just his tone and thought, Rey immediately sensed this to be far from a sexual thing.

He felt her judgment descend as he seated himself beside her.

Her eyes glistening in candlelight rocked his world. The subtle smile to her short hair framing her face similarly styled to when he had killed Snoke. Her internal laughter driven by her unease radiated upon his heart almost as if it were the beacon of light he'd fought so hard to drive out.

"Why didn't you just say you wanted to spend time with me?" She smiled slightly.

"I'm not one to be romantic, Rey. It's not in my nature."

"You're learning Ben... we all are." She told him kissing his lips softly. "Romance isn't just sex and fighting."

"How do you know?" He asked, "I don't even know."

"Because I want it so badly when I'm near you..."

"And what is that?" He asked his body approaching hers. But this time she invited his closeness. It was warm and comforting.

"Trust." She said staring into his eyes.

Their lips met almost instantaneously. Holding each other close in that dim candlelit room. Nothing was going to happen between them that night. But something already felt very different.


	10. Chapter 10

_Hey everyone, Merry Christmas to those who celebrate! I'm posting a little late today because of the Holiday, but also because I've been working a couple chapters ahead for this fanfiction! :) It may get a bit darker at the end of this one but there needed to be a final breakthrough for them instead of just writing argument after argument. This one's a bit out there but will help bridge to the sincerity of later chapters! Please review and let me know how this story is going so far! -Michelle_

They woke up the next morning side by side. Awkwardly avoiding each other's hold as if it were too great of a vulnerability at this point. They were never used to being so open. And it scared them.

They felt the awakened presence of one another. Clear as daylight. But the silence was almost as awkward as if they woke up completely naked. At least they'd have something to tease each other about. But no, this was vulnerability. Being at the mercy of one another. In silence. Both wondering if they would ever be able to face the challenges that lie ahead.

Ben faced her back. Watching her shoulder rise and fall in perfect rhythm. He wondered what it felt like to be at perfect peace. Without anxieties hanging over your head like the bodies of those you've ordered to be decapitated. All the lived he'd taken himself. Their souls never leaving and the guilt about to run over.

Rey took a deep breath. Feeling each of his grim thoughts, even feeling empathy for a moment.

"When I'm with the Resistance... they always want me in battle..." Rey began turning to him. "They don't ever want me training anymore. They only want a fighter. Someone who can defeat you. I agree with their cause. I love them like sisters and brothers, but the weight can be so overwhelming. To save a galaxy all on your own when you barely know yourself... I know I'm not the only one of us who feels that way..." she said staring deep into his eyes.

"Do you love him?" Ben asked with a deep serious tone, referring to Finn.

She sighed slowly, thinking deeply.

"I thought I did. Once." She looked hurt. "He'll never be able to understand all of this. He may support me. But he'll never be able to fully understand me." she looked away. "He's with someone else. A girl engineer. And he knows I'm with someone else but he doesn't know who." She lied. Unfortunately Ben had already caught on with her lie.

"I thought I told you no one but Leia was to know!" He shouted rising and standing over the bed.

"It was before we spoke about it. I told him in confidence. He will not break my trust. As I said, I love him like a brother-"

"That's crap Rey! You know it! You were jealous of that girl for catching his eye and now you're here because you can no longer handle the good guy facade! He was a stormtrooper Rey! A trader!"

"I came here trying to include you in your child's life but if you are that insecure in trusting me then how could I ever trust you? You killed your own father and I'm being scrutinized over a crush I had? Any sensible person would hide this from you. I could very well train them myself as a Jedi. They could be everything you hate!" She fired back

"Train them yourself?" He scoffed "You're no Jedi Rey. You're a foolish scavenger girl. Thinking you could master a thousand generations of study in a short time with Luke Skywalker... You have no place in all of this."

"How could I have been so stupid? You don't deserve any of this. I was trying to see what was between us... But maybe I was wrong." She said getting out of bed and collecting her belongings, so quickly Ben had barely a moment to notice. She raced out the door and to the control room where she opened the roof of the port. Just about to board the Falcon, Ben stood in front of her.

"You get on that thing and you'll die!"

"Why? Are you going to kill me like the other girl you romanced and got tired of?"

"It's dangerous out there! You get in the air and you'll be destroyed by the storm!"

"I'd rather take that chance than be here!" She screamed taking her lightsaber from her side and igniting it. With one strike, Ben had already called for his and blocked her.

"I'm not letting you leave here and die!" He shouted as their lightsabers collided violently.

With a final strike to her saber, she was pushed onto the floor. He retracted his and stared at her. She hadn't fallen hard, but it was enough to hold her back a moment. He rushed into the control room and closed the ceiling before she could escape. She entered the falcon, but couldn't get away.

He rushed up the ramp reluctantly but saw no one upon entering.

He found her sitting in the cockpit trying to catch her breath.

"Rey..." he began trying to touch her shoulders

"Don't touch me." She jumped up staring him straight in the face and walking right around him and away. He followed her through the ship trying to stop her.

"I can't believe I came all the way here for this." She grumbled through tears

He suddenly forced pushed her against the wall and stared her down.

"This isn't exactly easy for either of us." He hissed

"Get away." She snapped

"Make me!" He challenged

Her anger suddenly retracted, presenting a tone of urgency.

"Ben... I'm serious, move." She said as her breath became shallow and face turned pale.

He released her almost instinctively, watching her open her door to the refresher and shut it behind her. Instantaneously, he heard violent coughing from the other side.

He backed away. Almost forgetting why this was normal at this point but was nevertheless startled by it.

As she exited, she still looked pale and spent. Dark circles formed around her eyes as she made her way around him and towards the private quarters in the falcon.

Slamming the door behind her, he huffed and existed the Falcon swiftly. She'd come out when she was ready and he didn't exactly feel like forcing her to fight at this point. She was already furious with him. Although he'd like nothing more than for her to turn, deep down he truly did not want it to be because of the hatred towards him.

Hours later, as Rey rested in her quarters, her mind drifted to Ben, questioning what she was even doing there. What she was asked to do was impossible. How would they ever learn to work together without one completely turning? How would their feelings ever be enough? She thought about this over and over, eventually coming to one painful conclusion. It would be selfish to drive their child into chaos. Balance was only balance if the two forces could work in harmony. If they worked in toxic competition, it would only bring more pain and conflict. Rey crumbled to the thought of this but felt it needed to be done to protect everyone from such danger. She couldn't have this child. As much as it would kill her to cut off such a bond.

"You don't know what you're thinking." Ben interrupted.

"And you do?" She asked sensing him there beside her through their force bond.

"I always know what you're thinking... if you haven't already noticed."

Rey shut her eyes, reddened and swollen from tears and the guilt of her thoughts.

"Let me in."

"Why should I?" She asked still with her back to him

"Because I know your pain. I feel it too."

"You only want to take me down with you." She argued

"Open your eyes, Rey." He said cutting off the bond.

She felt him coming to her. At first, she told herself not to move, but changed her mind finally as she felt him right outside the door to her quarters.

She pressed the button beside it weakly. Still conflicted over wanting to see him.

"Why do you do this to me?" She asked turning away from him immediately and walking back towards her bed.

He took her arm firmly and turned her toward him.

"I'm not going to let you do that to them because of how you feel about me."

"Look at how you treat me. How you change in an instant. What do you want me to feel? If we can't work with what we've done we can't put the galaxy in danger out of vanity."

"For once will you not think like a Jedi!"

"Why shouldn't I?"

"Because I don't want this to be what turns you! You end them and you will never stop feeling their pain. This is not a normal situation Rey. I thought my mother already made it clear."

"You think I don't know that this isn't a normal situation?"

They stared into each other's eyes aggressively. Demanding things from one another neither were prepared to ask.

"What do you want me to think of you?" She finally asked under her breath

He stayed silent. Finding her lips as a means to show her what he wanted more than anything for her to feel singularly and prominently. But that was impossible. Some things he had done were unforgivable. She would never love him completely.

She felt it in him. How much he longed to be with her and how deeply he loved her. But the pain of her not being able to truly love him unconditionally in return tore him apart. He knew why she couldn't. And understood every reason why she should feel that way. But there was no going back for him. Not anymore.

Tears shed from both their eyes as they embraced. How would they ever find balance? They threw one another into chaos and back.

"We need a solution. Or there is no point in all of this." She said

"I'm not letting you turn Rey." He cried sensing her emotions declining to a violent edge.

She looked at him in disbelief.

"Leave me to be the one in pain." He took a deep breath through tears and called his lightsaber to his hand and brought it towards himself. But Rey was already a step ahead. Stopping his lightsaber with an instinct emerging from the light before he even had a chance to try anything.

"Ben, what is wrong with you?" She screamed through her own tears, "how does this stop me from feeling pain?"

She called the lightsaber away from him with any strength she had within her, as he dropped to his knees and she threw both lightsabers to the side. She knelt down in front of him and took him in her arms.

"Don't ever try that again!"

He breathed heavily and stared into her eyes.

"I don't know how else to save you."

"Be with me. balance me..." she pleaded. "When I told you I loved you I meant it."

"How can you love me after what I've done?"

"You have to forgive Kylo Ren for killing your father... it is not until then can Kylo truly be laid to rest."

"Than what am I?" He asked

"Ben Solo. And for your information he drives me insane. I love him in a way I never thought I could love anyone, and I need him to realize that." She stared into his eyes, equally drowning in tears. "I need his help. Whether or not he's ready to leave behind the majority of his darkness, I need him to do it with me. I need my balance. Our child needs our balance Ben..." she told him in a final plea

He breathed out sharply and wrapped his arms around her tightly bringing both of them to the ground.

Heavily breathing in each other's arms, it felt like all the times they extinguish their lightsabers, and relief washed over them in waves.

She held his face in her hands and looked into his battle-scarred brown eyes.

He laid a hand on her arm feeling all of her thoughts if this was truly where the force willed them to be.

Ben nodded, bringing more tears to her eyes as he pulled her closer and kissed her gently.

Rey finally broke the silence. "I wonder what this would be like... if we both were just..."

"Normal." they said in unison.


	11. Chapter 11

**_Warning for slight spoilers in this chapter from themes taken from The Rise of Skywalker. Nothing major, but there are some things revealed about one character's past in the movie I used for this. (NOT Rey's lineage, not that big of a spoiler XD) -Michelle_**

Later that day they sat around a table in the millennium falcon eating some dinner before it became much too cold to be in there, forcing them to retreat into the private quarters of the base.

"I need your plan Ben... I have mine..." she said looking at him in seriousness. "I'm not asking you to leave the First Order yet if you're not ready. I'm just asking that we can work together on this as a personal matter, and you leave your mother alone. Do not harm her for any reason. I love her as if she were my own mother... I need her with me through this." She reminded.

Ben nodded, and simply replied with an "I understand."

"I'm going to spend the rest of my pregnancy with the Resistance... we'll tell them someone else is the father. I have to be moved somewhere else to have them, and I'm sure Leia will be with me... you're welcome to do as you wish, but I don't think you would want to miss it." She spoke sincerely

He nodded as if just hearing her out but not giving her the answer she desired.

"Just give me an answer."

"We'll see." He said quietly

"You do realize what you would miss?" She asked

"I said, we'll see." He repeated.

"I can't believe it. You still only care about your image despite everything."

"I already told you the consequences of people knowing about this."

"I realize that. But we will be very secure and no one will find out. We can choose a neutral planet if you'd like. We can both decide where."

Ben thought a moment. "Will I have to see my mother?" He asked

"I think she would love that." Rey responded

Ben looked away. He remained indifferent on the outside but deep down he knew it was true. His mother still wished to see him again. Hold him in her arms again. Her son. No matter who he was. Because she still felt the light of Ben Solo within him.

"She doesn't care about the politics of this Ben... she doesn't even care about the force when it comes to you; she just wants her son to be happy." Rey explained feeling tears prick at her eyes. "I understand what's it's like... maybe just a bit now. The unconditional love a mother has for her child... force abilities or not." She paused, "Leia wasn't even angry when I told her about this whole relationship. It doesn't take much to know it just started in the physical sense. But she wants to help us, Ben. She wants us to be happy. A real couple. Somehow."

Ben kept looking aside. Breathing steadily as Rey pulled on every emotional cord she could find. His mother. His child. His...

"Rey..." he spoke "for now at least, give me the peace of mind that there's only me." He said staring her in the eyes. Sincerity bubbling from the surface of his shattered soul.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." She smiled slightly.

"Why do you do this to me?" He asked with an indifferent tone in his voice but a look of desire on his face. He stood up and sat beside her at the small table.

"Like what?" She poked back teasingly

"Make me feel this way... Question everything."

"You think I'm not questioning everything?" She responded as she fell into his arms subconsciously, leaning into his chest in that old, freezing metal ship.

He sighed. "It's hard to hate this ship..." he paused, "now that it's yours."

"Ben you never gave me a straight answer, and please don't act out when I ask you this... why did you kill your father?"

"Snoke told me I had to if I wanted to kill any light left inside of me. If I wanted to truly let my past die. But it only made me feel more pain. He lied about everything. And he lied about you."

Rey set a hand on the side of his face.

"I didn't hate my father..." he cried, "but now the regret is eating me alive. How could I ever face my mother?"

"Because she knows it wasn't you." Rey whispered. "Just like I know."

"Snoke wanted me to kill my father and my uncle. He would have asked me to do the same to my mother, and you... and them." He paused, "but when he did asked me to kill you... there was no way I could..." he sobbed

"Because you realized he betrayed you."

Ben shook his head gently, "it was because I love you."

Rey sobbed with him, holding him close and syncing in with his pain. But she didn't let it take over, allowing empathy to combat it. Empathy for the boy who was confused by those he loved most and completely torn apart. The man on the opposite side of the force. At the opposite side of this galactic war.

"Your spirit Rey. Your heart. Your empathy. Your intelligence. Your strength. It takes everything not to fall to my knees each time I see you... I can understand why my parents would have given anything to have you as their daughter rather than me as their son."

"That's not true, Ben." She spoke softly and moved a lock of hair out of his face. "Leia told me herself how much she loves you. How she'd give anything for you. You're her child. Her blood. I'm only important to her now because of what you mean to her. I'm just a girl carrying her grandchild."

"And the last hope for her resistance..." he added

"Aside from that. She loves you so much Ben. You should see her when I go to give birth. We aren't forcing you to change. Not if you aren't ready. Just give her a last chance at seeing her son." Rey pleaded

Ben shut his eyes, feeling memories flood back into his mind. He leaned his head on Rey's so she could see everything as clear as he could.

It was him as a child. Playing in the garden while his parents fought inside their home. It was about Ben. Leia was beginning to understand the complexity of Ben's abilities seeing pain and anger take over him at times, and realized she was not equipped at the moment to train him on her own. She was constantly on diplomatic travels. And although she loved to take Ben with her on those from time to time, trying to teach him about politics in hopes to steer him away from the vision she had on her last day of training with Luke many years prior, she realized she just couldn't do both diplomacy and force training. That trying would only neglect her son further. He was only 9 at the time. And there was no choice more difficult to make than to send her only child away. One she adored more than anything. She and Han tried but could never have another child. Meaning that sending him away would take away her only real chance at full motherhood, but could provide the galaxy with a new, noble Jedi warrior of the Skywalker bloodline to protect the people. It was a difficult sacrifice. But Ben had seen Luke training other children when they once visited him and found it to be the most mesmerizing thing he'd every seen. He begged his parents to let him be a Jedi. But his parents were not ready to lose him so quickly. It was not until he began demonstrating advanced mind-reading, levitation and combat skill while playing that truly alarmed Leia. She couldn't handle this on her own. Making her realize that Luke would be the best possible mentor to her son.

"Why can't he just be a normal kid?!" Han argued, "he's already waking up in the middle of the night with all of those dark dreams, the last thing he needs is to become more in touch with the force. Why should we send him away now?"

"Han you know I'm not in the position to train him myself-"

"Just take him on some more of those diplomatic missions you do. He'll adjust."

"As if you understand our bloodline. He's a Skywalker, he wasn't meant to sit around and hear people talking about the economy all day, just look what I gave up for this family!" She yelled

"Exactly, that bloodline! That's exactly what I'm afraid of. Don't you remember who your father became for more than two decades of his life? You want our son to be another one of those!"

"Han stop it! Don't you even say that about Ben. You should have faith in your own son."

"Faith in him just to become another Darth Vader?!" Han yelled

"Who's Darth Vader?" Ben asked peering around the door. Leia shut her eyes and sighed.

She turned around towards the boy and set a hand on his shoulder. "Come with me." She said lovingly guiding her son to a seat. Han reluctantly followed.

"Ben," She said empathetically as Han sat on the opposite side of him.

"You remember we told you about our lineage," Leia began, "how your grandfather Anakin, your Uncle Luke, myself, and you have very special powers..."

Ben nodded

"These powers son, are very rare, incredibly special. But they can be used to be good, or they can be used to be bad. Unfortunately your grandfather Anakin went through very painful times in his life when he lost his mother and his wife. He couldn't find the strength to endure these events. That is why for many years he started doing horrible things to other people to try and satisfy his anger. But it was never enough. He went through so much pain until Luke was finally able to turn him back to the light. When he was doing terrible things Ben, he was known as Darth Vader..." Leia revealed.

"Why did Dad say something about me being like him?"

"I didn't mean that kid. That would never happen." He smiled and patted his shoulder reassuringly

"I don't want to do bad things to people." Ben looked upset

"Of course not," Leia responded, "you're a good boy Ben. With your empathy, your strength, your intelligence, your special powers- you're going to do great things." She paused and looked at Han with a sigh. "That is why we arranged for you to spend some time with Uncle Luke. He'll teach you how to use your powers to help and protect others." Leia smiled at him.

"You can't come with me?" Ben asked sadly

"I'm sorry Ben..." Leia sighed, "you know I have a duty to the galaxy." She said sadly. "I chose the path I did for our family." She smiled, "but now it's your time to chose your own path." She said, "and if you ever get lost, we are all here to help you find your way back- Uncle Luke, your dad... and me." She smiled at her little boy through tears.

Ben hugged his mother tightly, crying his eyes out at the thought of having to leave her behind.

"I heard you get to use a lightsaber there!" Han added trying to lighten the mood. He still wasn't sure about all of this, but he wanted to trust Leia's instinct.

"Really?" Ben sniffled turning to his dad

"Yes, and Luke will teach you how to use one." Leia added, "just a moment." She said before quickly exiting the room and returning with a box. She set the box on the ground and knelt before a small Ben sitting criss-cross on the floor.

"Your grandfather and uncle would want you to use this..." she said, "but please Ben don't actually use it until Luke teaches you. This is a very dangerous weapon and should only be used by very skilled warriors. But with his help, you will be that and more someday." Leia smiled and opened the box

"I won't use it yet mom." He promised.

She turned the box towards his direction so he could see the lightsaber that guided his family two generations.

"This is your destiny, son. Doing good for others. Being kind. Don't let anyone ever tell you differently." Han said kneeling down beside his wife setting a hand on his son's shoulder. He knew in his heart that voices in Ben's dreams were asking him otherwise. He was usually the one there for him when he woke up screaming and crying in the middle of the night. He didn't know how to soothe him. The force was still something beyond him. All he could do at this point was trust in Leia's decision.

"I know." He smiled and hugged both of his parents.

"But I'll miss you." He said sadly. "What do I do if I get sad?"

"We'll always be with you, Ben." She smiled through her tears.

"You promise?" He asked

"I promise, baby." Leia cried hugging her son tightly, still broken about having to let him go.

"Hey, don't call me that!" He whined

Leia laughed in response.

"Growing up fast there I see." Han joked.

"Never lose sight of who you are Ben, promise me that." Leia pleaded

"I promise." He said giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"I love you son." She said

"I love you too, mom." He responded, just as a memory shifted in Ben and Rey's minds.

It was 4 years later and Ben sat alone in his hut, listening to Luke outside training other young Jedi in the academy.

He felt his parents fighting. His mother crying herself to sleep. And his father taking off into the falcon. They'd fought before. Many times. But he never left after an argument.

A single tear fell upon Ben's face. He felt his mother's pain stronger than ever before.

"Mom." He whispered

'Ben, I'm fine. He'll be back soon.' She told him through the force.

Surely Luke had already sensed her despair as well.

He went to sleep in tears. Feeling all the pain his mother felt. He just wanted her to be alright again. He wanted to be with her.

But unfortunately, Han did not return. He continued sending messages to Ben, informing him in one 2 years later that he and Leia had decided to spend some time apart. They would not be getting a divorce, but just needed some time to think. He reassured Ben that Leia and him still loved each other, and with time they would again be like they always were. Unfortunately, Ben was smarter than this. He knew his parents' marriage was practically destroyed and it tore at his soul. They had been so happy when he was little. Was love really worth it if it's time was so limited?

'Don't you just hate your father for what he's done?' A voice echoed in his mind. 'Don't you wish upon him the pain he causes your mother?' It asked

Ben wanted to fight off this voice. But it felt all too true to him, he thought angrily just as his Uncle knocked on the door to his hut.

"Hey," Luke said entering and sat beside the distraught teenage boy. "I'm sorry kid." He sighed setting a hand on his shoulder. "Go see your mom." Luke suggested.

Ben stopped the tears at his eyes and shook his head. "I don't want her to worry about me. She would want me here... to keep to my end of the promise to serve the galaxy." He explained

"Are you sure?"

Ben nodded.

"If you change your mind, we'll make accommodations for you to visit her immediately. Okay?"

Ben nodded once again. Feeling the hand of his uncle on his opposite shoulder and hugging him gently in support.

"I'm still your Uncle you know. I am always here if you need to talk about anything." Luke reassured.

Ben sniffled and looked away.

"You know, Thalia is training outside with some of the other Padawan." Luke teased trying to cheer up his nephew.

"She is?! I mean uh... yeah okay." Ben responded awkwardly

Luke just laughed in response. "You want to come train with us?"

"I don't see why not..." Ben answered while standing and taking the legacy saber from his nightstand.

"Let's go then, kid!" Luke laughed setting his hand on his nephew's shoulder and guiding him outside the hut.

The memory changed again. It was another 2 years later. Ben was 17 now. He walked up a cliff preparing to work on combat skills. Upon arriving at the top, however, he found Thalia, silently meditating.

He stood there quietly. Watching her levitate and peacefully allow the force to flow through her. She was beautiful. Red hair that framed her face with two strands tied in a braid at the back. Her face always rosy but structure strong. Ben kept staring at her. Her beauty radiating through the force so effortlessly.

"You may join me if you like, Solo." She said calmly and flatly, but with an amused smile spreading across her face. She knew exactly what he thought about her. And she would be lying if she said he didn't bring about something in her as well.

Ben walked towards her and slowly sat down on the stone structure.

He shut his eyes trying to let the light in, but these days it almost felt slightly challenging.

Thalia was one of the most skilled and dedicated Padawans in Luke's academy. Spending all of her time training and seeking to learn about the light. But Thalia was quite different from Ben. Her family came from little means and lived quietly despite their heritage with the force. It was her decision to break the chain and become a Jedi. But her parents supported her, together. They had no political responsibilities in the galaxy. No legacy or lineage to live up to. Nothing to protect their daughter from. They had all the means to support her. It was fitting that she had yet to receive any pull from the darkness. Any true challenge. As she just buried herself into being an excellent student. She was the first in her family to decide her path. Too perfect. Scenarios Ben only wished he could comprehend.

Ben began to levitate as well, finally feeling light funnel through him and a sense of calm guide him.

Sneakily, Thalia reached out and set a hand on his knee as Ben fell to the ground suddenly in shock.

"You're not concentrating." She laughed, setting herself on her feet carefully and held out a hand to help Ben up.

"Thalia Sartori." She said introducing herself.

"Ben S- Solo." He stumbled on his name

"I know..." she smiled, "I highly doubt anyone here doesn't know your name. Even though you're a bit shy with us. So what brings _the_ Ben Solo here to speak to me?" She teased

"I just... came up here to train." He explained

"I see." She said with a smile, "let's see what you got then." She said taking her lightsaber from her belt. Ben fired up his before they began a match. They both took a breath. Tapping into the force they both began the "attack" simultaneously.

In the climax of the fight, Ben heard a strange voice inside his mind.

"Han Solo broke your mother's heart. After she gave him the best years of her life. She sacrificed her son. She is in pain... you never even cared to see her."

With the final words seeping into his heart, Ben admitted a final blow to Thalia's saber, pushing her to the ground. He'd won the fight with this surge of energy. He didn't know what it was. But it was thrilling. Dangerous. And multiplied his strength. He needed to know what it was.

"That was great, Solo." Thalia said rising. "Good fight." She took a deep breath patting him on the back as she strode down the hill.

In the time following, he used these strange emotions during training. He knew the Jedi had rules about such emotions. But he knew he could use them for good if he wanted. His Uncle of course, had different ideas, telling Ben that these emotions: anger and sadness, were not helpful to a Jedi. Luke was very disappointed when he saw how far Ben had begun implementing it in his methods.

"Uncle then tell me, what do I do with them? They strengthen me, make me a better Jedi than all the others here."

"You suppress them, Ben. Or they will destroy you!" He responded in deep disappointment, simply not understanding, or possibly denying that this was much more dire than a passing phase of teenage emotions for Ben.

Ben stopped in his tracks watching his Uncle walk ahead.

'He lied when he said he would be there for you.' The voice returned to his mind. 'He doesn't care to be an Uncle. He only wants a token of accomplishment, and you are nothing more than a tool to him, young Solo.'

Ben retreated to his hut quickly once hearing these words. Ever since he had used his anger in lightsaber combat, the voice had only become stronger and dominated his mind while he was awake now as well. It haunted him, but at the same time provided a comfort no one else did. The voice urged him to be who he was. To use his unique abilities for a greater purpose. But it also scared him. To be told to follow a purpose opposite to what everyone told him to follow since the beginning of his life.

He sat on his bed, shaken by the guidance of the voice and what it wanted him to do.

Just then, he heard a knock on the door. He stood up and went over to open it seeing Thalia standing outside.

"Ben we need to talk." She said seriously.

"I'm glad you're here." He told her pulling her inside and shutting the door.

"Something's wrong." He said kissing her gently before she pulled away from it in unease.

"That's what I came to talk to you about." She told him. He stood there confused, he was going to tell her about the voices, but she had mistaken it for something else. "We have to stop this." She said, "I never thought it would get out of hand, I just wanted to be friends." She said panting. "We broke Jedi code, this is wrong. If Luke found out he'd be extremely disappointed. I'm sorry Ben, I've worked so hard to be here, and I can't give it up for a teenage crush... I'm sorry." She cried

Ben's eyes darkened and backed away from her in the shadow of his hut.

"Just go." He mumbled

"Ben I am so sorry. I never meant to make you think this is more than what it is. We're Jedi. And I decided to tell you immediately before we made any decisions worse than when you kissed me. I swear I never wanted to do this to you." She pleaded

"Get out." He hissed

"Please just-"

"Get out!" He said louder and even more firmly as he turned to face the wall away from her.

Tears filled Thalia's eyes as she left the hut shaken by what she'd done to Ben. She only wanted to be his friend. She truly didn't mean for it to be anything different. Unfortunately, he saw it far differently. Maybe she was the first person his age that truly wanted to be his friend. That didn't see him as a strange child with some godly bloodline. But she was too perfect. Too wrapped up in the vanity of the Jedi to completely understand him. She had no weight on her shoulders. And when she saw or felt something even remotely out of the ordinary, she ran. She wasn't strong. Just a girl blindly following the Jedi, never questioning a thing about it. There was nothing intense about her soul. Nothing that even remotely matched Ben. And it only confirmed to him that is the way that it would always be. He'd always be alone. Except for the voice in his head.

That was the night it all had changed. Luke had thought about ending him. But it only served to destroy any remnants of his good spirit.

That night after he killed all but few of the training Jedi, he sensed Thalia's spirit. It screamed out in pain and was then promptly silenced. The little remorse was swiftly washed away by his unleashed anger. It was then that he had decided the voice in his head, Snoke would be his only chance at conquering his fears and truly attaining a higher power through the potential of his abilities.

Even if for a second she made him feel something uniquely special, it was dead now. Never meant to be.

He moved his face away from Rey's with tears streaming down his face. He rarely ever sought to analyze details of his past, and had never, not even once shared anything he had just shown Rey with another soul.

So much energy had been exerted they felt breathless, emotionally drained at remembering all the demons in his past that still plagued him.

With their foreheads brushing against one another and lips only a breath apart, Rey smiled at him, with an idea that would surely change his mood.

"Before you completely turn away from your anger Ben, remind me there's something I want to try..." she smiled slyly. He laughed immediately taking the bate and pressing his lips roughly to hers.

**_Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed this new chapter! I tried to do my research as best as I could but even though I think I'm pretty knowledgeable about the Star Wars films, I haven't had the chance to read some of the novels that might go more in-depth on the history of Ben Solo, Leia, and Han. If there are any helpful ones about them please please recommend in the reviews! I've been extremely busy with school recently as I'm graduating in June so I haven't had time to do anything but studying, assignments and college applications unfortunately but have had some time during this holiday to chill, watch the Rise of Skywalker a few times and you know write this FanFiction! 😂 I'd love to get a book or two in before I go back. Plus, the only novelization I've read was this book called "Moving Target" about Princess Leia in middle school :P yeah XD. Yes, I'm that stereotypical Leia fangirl lol. My dog Bonnie's middle name is literally Carrie XD story for another time. But in short, please, let me know of any good novels and have a great end of your week! (Where are all my fellow 2020 high school grads?! ) -Michelle_**


	12. Chapter 12

_**Warning, this chapter includes sexual content. Skip ahead to the ******* section if you want to jump back into the regular story. **_

_**I've seen the requests waiting for some Reylo action and decided to drop some here :P You're welcome, fellow Reylos XD **_

"I don't exactly have an interrogation chair here, but I'm sure we could improvise."

"What would you have in mind?" She questioned

"That's for me to know and you to find out." He answered, "but something I really shouldn't think about on my father's ship. He loved it so much I wouldn't be surprised if he haunted it."

Rey rolled her eyes, "you're so overdramatic..." she teased, "it just freaks you out that you were created on this thing."

Ben realized that she was only trying to upset and withdraw some anger from him.

"Why don't you think I ever go into the main quarters?" She teased. "No force sensitive person would want to put themselves in such an awkward position."

"Shut up..." He requested feeling his unease re-emerge

"Make me." She challenged only to be roughly taken at the lips and pressed all the way down until her head met the seat.

She began giggling at the feeling of his weight on hers, the electricity of their lips intertwined, and she at his complete mercy- but at her own will to do so.

"I thought you said no romancing on this ship?" She teased finally breaking the kiss for air.

"I did." He said pressing his lips onto hers again and tying a cloth around her eyes.

This only made Rey laugh.

"What do you think the first lessons of a Jedi are?"

"I don't know, levitation?" He teased suddenly picking her up.

"That your eyes deceive you. What do you think a rag is going to do?" She said in amusement

He said nothing, just focused on carrying her back to the base's quarters and tried to summon his anger. It was very much still there, but beginning to peel away the longer he spent with Rey.

"You know there was this one time Finn saw me coming out of the showers...he and Poe actually." Rey sensed his anger rising at hearing the two men's names. "they asked me what I'd look like in a metal bikini..."

"Rey that's just weird..."

"Sorry..." she remembered, "forget I said that bit."

"I remember when I first met Finn... he was so sweet and supportive of me..." she urged him on. "We practically _kissed_ on the Falcon this one time." She whispered in his ear.

Even knowing that all she said was untrue, just the thought of it conjured deep jealousy within him.

He tossed her on the bed roughly, knees first, but not enough to hurt her. He reached under the bed and grabbed a pair of handcuffs, and swiftly took one of her arms and locked it to the bedpost.

"You had those here the whole time?" She questioned in surprise before he pressed a finger to her lips shushed her before pressing her head downwards.

"What gets into your head that makes you think you can take control around me?" He spoke in an authoritative, border-lining frightening voice, in an almost robotic-like quality.

"Here we go with the fucking mask..." she sighed, only to be slapped roughly on the backside. She let out a yelp, shocked that he'd start so quickly. But she wasn't exactly complaining. What made their bond so compelling is that they could sense everything the other wanted, how they wanted it and when. What was okay. And what wasn't. Something any other person would never be able to do for either of them.

"What's wrong with the mask?" He asked circling her and speaking with a dark intimidating tone.

"It looks ridiculous... just like your lightsaber..."

In a stroke of anger, he tugged at the sashes strung around her and tied it around her mouth.

"Should keep you quiet now... little scavenger." He teased as he began undoing the buttons of his shirt and tossed it aside.

He moved towards her, taking her shirt and pulling it over her, now keeping both her arms closely tied together against the bedpost.

It was just him now. In control of everything. And he intended to use it as he'd always fantasized.

He moved behind her, sending a firestorm through her body at the feeling of his fingers brush against her neck. She breathed heavily, feeling his arm wrapped around her and his gloved fingers sliding down her chest and abdomen until it reached waistband of her pants. Teasingly, he went right past anything and down her leg feeling slight disapproval within her.

"Patience." He whispered

"The mask is annoying." She teased with a muffled voice behind the cloth.

"Silence..." He hissed pulling off her pants and smacking her again in one quick motion. She gasped at the striking feeling of his leather glove against her skin.

He was trying his best now to shield all thoughts from her. Trying to make everything as shocking and pleasurable as possible.

But it was overwhelming, not being able to read his mind. It was the first time in a while and just the sheer cluelessness was enough to make her shiver with arousal.

With his arm still around her, he slid a hand beneath her bra and kneaded her breast softly, hearing her muffled swear in the language of Jakku.

"Did I say you could speak?" He demanded

Rey just replied with a muffled groan.

In response, he simply covered her mouth tightly with one hand, and slipped the glove off of the other one, allowing it to venture beneath her underwear line and meet the moistened flesh that lied beneath it.

Rey released a shuddering breath through her nose and practically begged him through the force to touch her.

"Say it." He urged moving her sash and his gloved hand down to her chin.

"Say it." He demanded more firmly as his hand circled her clitoris without directly touching it.

"Please..." she cried

"Please what?" he said near the side of her face.

"Touch me." She gasped almost immediately feeling his bare fingers stroke her most vulnerable area.

With the other hand, he removed his mask and his other glove, setting them on the table beside them and reaching around to feel her breasts again.

Her breathing only quickened at the attention from his fingers. It was only skin now and no barrier of his gloves.

Sensing her arousal heightening, he intensified his technique, only to feel her heading for the edge.

"Ben." She cried out before he covered her mouth with a hand again.

"Don't." He demanded as she held back her climax, although it wouldn't be possible for very long.

She moaned into his hand, screaming into his mind through the force, his name over and over and her begs to let her come.

"Don't make a sound." He spoke moving his lips to her neck and feeling the waves of ecstasy ride through her body.

Still breathless and trying to regain herself, Ben moved his hands away and turned her around, using the force to break the handcuffs that held her back and helped her remove the shirt and bra around her arms.

He stared at her torso. Letting himself feel the rush of adrenaline run beneath his pants. He remained on his knees for a moment, gently helping her remove her underwear.

Everything allured him so greatly. Her mind. Her spirit. Her body even. He wanted it all to be his. She rocked his world and he wanted to make her 'pay' for making him feel so much at the mercy of her soul.

He stood up for a moment. Staring at her form. The times they had done this before were practically shameful acts quickly done in the dark. They couldn't bear to look at each other's faces before, shameful about their sympathy for the enemy, only in search of the feeling of fast pleasure in order to avoid their true feelings.

But this was different. He looked upon her whole body now. Open and vulnerable to him in a way she had never been with anyone else, and they were quite the same in this way. Profoundly similar as people despite their separation in politics and the force. But at this moment nothing else mattered. Just each other, mind body and soul. And he couldn't repress himself from these feelings for her anymore. They were raw and powerful and uncontrolled. But it was mutual.

He stood up, unzipping his pants and staring back at her as he finished undressing. She sensed him, and felt something deep within her that told her to remove the cloth from her eyes.

She saw him, as vulnerable as he'd ever be with her. The man that she'd hated for the past few years, who she wanted dead in moments of rage, was now standing before her mask-less, naked, and with a look in his eyes that told her that he was as desperate for her as she was for him.

She sat up nervously, the more he came close.

"Relax." He told her kneeling on the bed in front of her and taking her hand and gripping it soothingly.

"I'm not the only one." She sensed

He only responded by pressing his lips to hers, sensing her anxieties descend a bit.

He guided a hand to his chest, letting her feel him just as he had felt her.

Her face became warmer as he guided her hand lower. She was curious, but still at unease, the exact thing he was trying to help her overcome.

'Help me.' She approved through the force

Gradually, he guided her soft fingers around him and showed her exactly what he wanted to feel.

In moments, he no longer had to show her, moving one hand back into her, and the other framing her face with fingers intertwined with her hair. Their lips remained connected, becoming more passionate as the moments went by, feeling the tingles of soft moans echoing in each other's mouths.

"Rey," he whispered matching her gaze and gently pushing her back down towards the mattress

"Ben," she answered softly before he leaned before her preparing himself

He stroked one of her legs and lifted it slightly. She took a deep breath and took the cue to make more space for him.

She shut her eyes, knowing the feeling of him, but never with the deep emotional connection they now bared openly to one another.

But then there was another feeling. She felt more stimulation on her. More powerful than anything he'd been doing before.

She didn't even need to open her eyes. But wanted to. Seeing Kylo Ren- no, Ben Solo, making her feel these unimaginable sensations blew her mind. His tongue circling her clitoris in perfection only making her mind reel until she found herself approaching a new edge. She took sharp breaths, calling his name in warning that this was going to be a much harsher reaction than the other time.

She shut her eyes and let her head sink into the pillows violently, feeling waves shock her one by one and then all together. Ben lifted himself up and brushed his lips against her ear.

"Don't think about something if you don't want me to do it." He whispered taking himself and rubbing it on the area he had just ravished with his lips.

She looked at him in near embarrassment

"Don't you think it's hot as hell to feel you think about it?" He asked

Rey simply couldn't respond. Pulling his face towards her and taking his lips again.

Feeling her signal, he guided himself inside her sensing her emotions go haywire in response to their closeness.

He took in a deep breath feeling her clench down on him, as he responded by adding a slow rock to his movements.

"Ben." She whispered and wrapped her arms around him and sliding them across his back urging him to just go at it.

His response was urgent, moving himself a little deeper and faster each time.

She didn't care for this feeling much, but just sensing how much it drove him insane gave her the pleasure of just being the cause of it.

"Rey." He groaned into her shoulder barely able to keep himself upright any longer.

The sound of his sharp breathing echoed in her ear, again and again until he finally gave out, lying beside her and holding her close breathless.

_**********New Section**_

She looked into his eyes as they both struggled to catch their breath.

"Your anger... it's gone." She sensed moving his hair away from his face.

"Not the pain..." he said setting a hand to the side of her face, knowing this closeness to her could never be an everyday reality given their places in society.

"I love you, Ben. That will always remain." She whispered with tears piercing at her eyes.

"That's my problem... I love you too much... After tonight I don't know when I'll see you again... if it's not to fight each other... I don't want that." He admitted

"Neither do I." She responded holding back tears.

"Come with me..." he pleaded

Her soul nearly dropped at his request. After everything, he would still want to take her back there?

"I can't do that to them, Ben."

He sighed and buried his face into her neck.

"Come with me." She spoke leaning her face upon his.

"I can't." He said flatly, still refusing to give in to the light.

She placed a hand on his head and held him close. As much as they were completely infected and enamored by one another, they collided in each decision they would ever make.

"Please, Rey... consider it." He said calmly, but she sensed his desperation deep within him.

"I will..." she spoke quietly but shocked at herself for even promising to consider such a thing. How could she betray her friends, Leia, and Luke, all for this one guy in this one situation? It was beyond her. "I thought you said you didn't want to turn me?" She asked

"I'm asking you to live with me, not to turn." He clarified, "I'll take care of you. You can rule with me. We can make things how we both want."

"How can you ask me this?" She cried. "What am I going to do over there? Who would I even talk to if I need guidance?"

"We balance each other. I can help you in the force."

"That's not what I mean..." she said turning away and sitting up. She then took the throw blanket lying on the floor and wrapped it around her shoulders.

Ben felt her unease and sat up beside her.

"It's not about the force... I'm terrified about being pregnant. We didn't plan this. I don't know the first thing about all of this and I need to be around a woman who's older than myself and who has been through it. There is only one person I trust like a mother. You have to understand that."

"Do we have to talk about this now?" He asked

"You're the one who asked me to go with you..."

"Tomorrow morning the storm will have passed, Rey. And it means we'll have to be apart for who knows how long." He paused, "I need to know how you are. That you're safe." He said laying a hand on her back gently

"I'll be fine." She said turning towards him again and looking in his eyes, "I promise. And we always have our force bond." She smiled

He scoffed, "If only we didn't get bothered so much using it. And the problem isn't even on my end."

"Alright, I get it." She responded in near amusement.

As the two laid back down, they held each other close, skin against skin, soul to soul, as if it was the last.

They awoke the next morning still side by side, saddened by the thoughts of having to leave each other once again.

"I quite like the name Nova." Rey spoke breaking the silence between the two.

"What if it's a boy?" He asked

"Kai." She told him

"I think it's going to be a boy."

"No. I don't think so..." Rey laughed

"I would... like it to be a boy..."

"Ben with your lineage, for all we know they could be twins."

"Yeah, I really hope not... a girl is fine."

Rey laughed at his remark. Not that she would disagree with him in the slightest though.

"I actually haven't even thought about that." She said in a nervous tone.

They both lied there in silence realizing the actual possibility of this and were not exactly thrilled by it to any extent.

"It's already done with, I guess. Whatever happens, happens." Rey said through her disappointment.

Ben sighed and looked away fearfully. He really didn't want this. Not now. But he knew that he wasn't the only one. And regardless of how they felt needed to take equal responsibility.

"Ben," she whispered stroking his face. "It's going to be alright." She assured

"I don't want to leave you."

"I know," she sighed, "but for now that just has to be the way of things... you go back to your thing, I go back to mine. But we're always with one another. We're bound together through the force." She reminded.

He nodded watching her sit up and begin to redress herself.

Rey looked over at the blank wall, conflicted over this entire situation. The person she loved, the father of her child, was still forced to be her enemy at the end of the day. She didn't want to live their lives and an entire relationship just by hooking up and parting just so that no one would know. She wanted so much more.

"Someday, I know it won't have to be like this. I feel it."


	13. Chapter 13

Reluctantly, they both found their way out of bed and checked their ships in case they were for any reason affected by the storm.

Rey immediately found some failing parts in the Falcon and went to repair them while Ben walked around, feeling practically useless when it came to repairs and things of that nature.

"You know, your father was a great repairman..." Rey told him, "you would probably have it in you too if you tried."

"I don't know about that." He responded

"Come here." She said as he reluctantly knelt beside her and watched.

To him, it was all just a bunch of rewiring and replacing. It didn't make much sense to him.

"Hold this for a moment?" She asked as he held whatever metal part it was for a moment.

He wouldn't lie, each time she demonstrated her sheer intelligence with anything, it impressed him deeply. He'd never met anyone that could do all that she does. With so many skills and such high potential, he would never be able to fully comprehend why such a talented being would be so bound to such a dead-end planet like Jakku. But then of course, there also was the factor of their attraction. That lit up like a flame each time she impressed him with her mind.

"Very smooth." She joked sensing where his mind went immediately

"It might be in my nature." He played along

"Ben Solo, has anyone ever told you you think too much with your lightsaber?" Rey teased

"As a matter of fact, yes, but not quite in that context." He joked nearing her body and stealing a kiss from her lips.

She smiled at his sly attempts but found herself so distracted she sliced her hand on a metal pipe just before making her final repair.

She winced in pain, holding the cut together as Ben motioned asking if he could see it.

"There should be a medical room on this base." He said helping her up and guiding her through the hallways.

As they reached the South passage, Ben sensed a strange feeling that spread throughout the room.

"I feel it too," Rey said, hearing the voices of decades past echo from wall to wall.

They were arguing, disapproving voices. Ones Ben recognized all too well.

"My parents..." Ben spoke quietly

"What do you mean?" Rey asked

He sighed, "This is an old Rebel base Rey. I've wanted to come here for years. To see if I could sense anything. And this is what I find." He nearly laughed sarcastically. "Of course."

"Remind me to show you something later on the Falcon." Rey told him.

Almost too worried about her hand to keep discussing his parents, he guided her into the medical room and found a box to help aid her cut. It wasn't deep. But still bleeding and in need of bandaging.

As he wrapped her hand. She looked over at the bed on the other side of the room.

"Umm." She began sensing strange memories from that side of the room, "that actually happened... they kissed?" She asked in a concerned, weirded-out matter.

"They didn't know yet... but we tend not to talk about that... for obvious reason." He explained

"I can understand why." She replied, "maybe finish a little sooner so we can get out of here?"

"Agreed..." He said before closing up the kit and guiding her outside.

"How's your hand?" He asked as they got back to the ships.

"It's much better, thank you." She said taking his hand with her non-injured one. "There's something I wanted to show you..." Rey reminded guiding him onto the Millennium Falcon.

"Please don't have us go into any more awkward rooms..." he asked

"No, I think you'll actually appreciate this one. I felt their presence many times while working in this room." She said opening the door to the small area. Here the images rushed toward them of Han and Leia, expressing their feelings for one another and sharing their first kiss in this tiny room.

"It wasn't all bad Ben." Rey began, "they've always loved each other. Whatever fallout they had wasn't because of love. It was difficulties working together. But those things can be changed." She said reading into his soul, "I know if you ask your mother, she will always Han Solo as the love of her life. The one that changed her perspective on everything. And he would definitely say the same."

Rey then set a hand on the side of Ben's face and looked into his eyes.

"It's all worth it." She whispered, referring to the deep insecurity he felt about love ever since experiencing his parents' divorce.

Slowly, they found their lips together again. Mirroring that perfect image of his parents, all those years before.

**_Hey everyone! Sorry for today's short chapter but I've been releasing a few longer ones in the last few days and I'm working on a very long section for chapter 14! The next chapter will include some big events, so make sure not to miss! Thank you so much to everyone who has come back for each chapter and please write your thoughts in the reviews! :) Thank you guys, and have an awesome rest of your weekend! -Michelle_**


	14. Chapter 14

After completing the repairs on the Millennium Falcon, Rey brought her things on board and began packing them under her bed just as the saw Ben standing in the doorway.

"I really hate that it has to be this way." He told her

"So do I." She sighed feeling him appear behind her and set his hands on her shoulders.

Just then, a strange beeping noise came running- or rather rolling into the room.

The two turned around in shock realizing that it was BB-8 trying to warn them about something.

"BB-8? Have you been here the whole time?" Rey asked in confusion

He beeped in response and kept making dozens of strange sounds that immediately sent Rey into a panic.

"The First Order knows we're here..." she told Ben. "And they..." Rey paused almost feeling tears pierce her eyes, "they took Leia."

Just as these words were spoken, Ben took her arm and immediately guided her out of the ship. BB-8 quickly followed.

"If they know you're here the first thing they'll destroy is the Falcon. We have to get on my ship and get out of here."

"But Han's ship-"

"First, Leia." He told her as the three rushed to his ship.

Rey was shocked at his call to go and save his mother. It was unexpected, but a very welcome change.

They finally got to Kylo's ship. And from what they sensed, the First Order was not too far away.

"You're the Supreme Leader, why can't you just give them another order?"

"Because in the time they waste searching this place it means a better chance that my mother is still safe."

Rey approved his decision, as she cramped herself into the small space behind him along with BB-8.

As Ben began flying the small craft out of the old Rebel base, Rey checked BB-8 quickly to see if everything was alright with him.

"How did you know about all this?" Rey asked him.

He beeped in response.

"Poe? He sent you a message? Yes, let me speak to him."

BB-8 quickly dispersed a small device and Rey immediately began speaking into it.

"Poe? Poe, this is Rey."

"Rey, I'm so glad to hear your voice are you alright?" He asked

"Yes. I left the base."

"But I'm tracking the Falcon and it's still on Hoth at the old Rebel base?"

"Poe, I wasn't training... I was with Ben for the last two days and I'm in his ship right now. We are going to get Leia."

"Rey what the hell do you mean you and_ Kylo Ren_ are going to get Leia? I didn't think your boyfriend would have such a change of heart."

"It's a long story, but not right now, please. You have to believe me. Don't get into a confrontation with the First Order at the base."

"Okay, okay, I got it." He said turning away from the planet. "But I gotta make sure Leia gets home safely. And I'm not going back without her. Let me help you."

"Poe this is very dangerous I would advise you-"

"Rey, I trust you, but I'm still not completely sure about Ren and everything..."

Rey sighed in frustration and tried to reason with Poe, "If you go with us you'll draw attention immediately just with your ship. I'm with Ben, The Supreme Leader and I'm sure we could make up a story so that I could go in with him. I love Leia as if she were my mother also. I promise you, even if it's the last thing I do, I'll get her home."

Poe sighed feeling unease with Rey's request.

"How do I know he hasn't turned you or something?!"

"If I turned I wouldn't even warn you about the First Order surrounding the Hoth Base. It would just be a trap. All I'm asking you to do is go home and keep everyone calm. I will let you know if we need anything."

"Okay. But please don't make me regret this." He asked before dropping the call

"Thank you." Rey whispered to BB-8 and have him back the device.

"I told Poe to have the Resistance stand down." She told Ben. "It's all us now."

"Open the hatch right beneath you."

"Why?" Rey asked

"There's an extra cloak in there. You'll need it unless you want to go in their handcuffed."

"What are you going to tell them?"

"That you have left the Resistance, are no longer a Jedi and now stand with me as a Supreme Leader. It's the only way I can get you to Leia without causing a mutiny." He explained

"As long as it gets us to Leia." Rey agreed

"It will."

"Ben, what made you want to do this?" She asked opening the hatch and taking the black cloak.

"I don't know." He responded vaguely but Rey didn't feel like pushing an answer out of him.

"You know, seeing Ben Solo trying to be the hero is actually quite attractive."

"Yeah, alright." He shook off the comment only as someone like his father would. They were more similar than he thought.

"You just have this hero fantasy, don't you? Having a crush on 'Finn'. Looking for a father in Han Solo?"

"I mean I've never really been in need of one, I'm known to manage myself quite well, but being near heroes, specifically conflicted ones, still quite attractive." She teased, "And like I said, Finn is a sweet man, but I don't think he would ever be able to understand all of this... the force being so strong in us both... the fact that we have a child on the way. He's happy with Rose. Equally sweet. Equally strong and kind. Neither have to deal with the realities of the force or the weight it puts on one's shoulders. They're meant for each other, now that I realize it."

"So I win then?" Ben lifted an eyebrow

"It's not about winning or losing," She laughed, "I chose you."

"Rey, Solos are known to win over in these kinds of situations..." Ben fired back in a teasing manner. Rey rolled her eyes, remembering all the talks with Leia about how she and Han went from hating each other, to them having feelings, to them walking down the aisle when she was two months pregnant with Ben. She always said they would have done it anyway. Ben's arrival just made them want to be married sooner for many reasons.

The thought then hit her in another way. They haven't even spoke about marriage. What people would think if they ever found out he was the father? But she didn't feel ready for this sort of thing. Then again neither was Leia all those years ago. It was such a strange thought she felt awkward even thinking about it. But knew that just because of how society was, they would have to make a decision soon.

Ben heard all of her thoughts but didn't respond. He felt the same way.

"We're almost to the First Order's lead ship. Do you have that cloak on?" He asked

"Yes. Can we find a disguise for BB-8?"

"Once we get on board."

She looked out the glass window on the front of his ship, seeing as they approached the landing base quickly. When they touched the ground, Ben exited first, only to be confronted by General Hux.

"Just pick up and leave for two days, Supreme Leader?"

And just with that, Hux found himself slightly levitated and chocking in the air.

"I went to turn one of our most valuable enemies. And I'm sure you'll want to know who."

"My apologies, Supreme Leader." he voiced before being dropped to the floor and out of the choke.

"This is Rey of Jakku. Former student to Luke Skywalker and Ex-Jedi. She is with us now. And shall be respected as an equal to me." He said extending a hand to Rey and helping her down the from the ship.

Hux grumbled below his breath.

"Who is she for us to respect? Your girlfriend?" He said mockingly, "whore?" He practically laughed, "sister?" He asked running out of scenarios and still seeing their faces blank.

"You will lead us to General Organa's cell. There are classified matters of the Resistance

we must interrogate her for."

Just as Hux was about to argue about Rey accompanying him, Kylo stared at him coldly.

"Take us at once. This is an order." Ren glared before raising his arm and threatening the choke.

"Yes, of course, Supreme Leader, at once. Follow me." He replied showing them down to the prison cells.

"The droid is also a prisoner. We shall extract any information he has and convert him into a droid of our own." He told Hux and a stormtrooper as he was immediately put into a box.

"Leave him to me." Ren said as the stormtroopers obeyed and BB-8 followed the 3 crashing around in his little box.

"This way, droid." Rey said coldly trying to act in character as she guided BB-8.

'Exactly...' Ben told her in her through the force, approving her way of speaking to a 'prisoner'.

'Ben I am actually terrified.' She admitted

'Stay close to me. Do as I do. And make sure your lightsaber stays with you at all times.'

They walked towards the room where Leia sat alone behind metal bars. Hux reluctantly opened it for the two and handed Ren the keys without even looking him in the eyes. He left the two to their own, Ren watching from outside the cell.

Rey took his hand.

"Come see her." She pleaded

Ben looked away and Rey released his hand gently, turning to walk inside the cell.

Upon walking in, she found a distressed Leia, alone but visibly unharmed.

"Rey!" Leia said nearly in tears as the girl rushed to her side.

"Leia are you alright? We panicked when we heard the First Order took you!"

"Rey, I'm fine. I was just bait. I'm glad it was you who came. By the way, nice disguise."

"Thank you." Rey smiled

"Rey, How is everything? How are you? The little one?"

"We're perfectly fine." Rey nearly laughed

"Who are you with?" Leia finally asked

Ben slowly walked in behind Rey, dark cloak and all, taking Rey's hand into his, summoning all of his courage to finally face his mother.

"Ben?" Leia gasped as her hands covered her mouth in shock, looking upon her son for the first time in years.

"Ben!" Leia cried with tears now streaming down her face. She stood up in front of him, seeing tears spill from his eyes despite his efforts to hide his conflict.

Through her tears she reached out in her mind, trying to comfort her son, before hugging him gently. Just as she did this, Ben felt himself weaken, as he embraced his mother, allowing himself to cry the tears of agony he so desperately wished to hide.

Despite the years apart or the conflicts they shared, she provided a certain comfort with her hug that no one else could.

"I missed you, son." She cried

"I'm sorry..." he said nearly sobbing in his mother's arms. It was at that moment he found himself reduced back to that terrified little 9-year-old who feared leaving his mother to go and train with Luke. His mother, who he'd sensed the deep pain of when she and his father separated. But most of all, his mother, who he'd sensed the deep mourning of when he had taken the life of his own father after years of pain and misunderstanding. It was beyond him how she could forgive him for such a thing. But if he was willing to change, she would be the first one, and probably one of the only ones, to take him back with open arms. He was her son. Part of her. And nothing could take that away from them. And in reflecting at this moment, he realized that she had done nothing wrong. She had only tried, and maybe failed, but regretted hurting him more than anything in her life.

"Mom." He cried

"It's okay." She comforted, "somehow, I knew that if the two of you were together, you'd find your way back." She smiled through her tears, "that's all I ever wanted... for you to be happy... and okay."

"I know that now." He said regretfully, "I'm just... I'm so sorry." He sobbed

"I know, I know." She said sadly, "but that wasn't you. That wasn't my son. I know my son. And he's here now. And I just want him to stay this time. Whatever it is... I'll help you. Rey will help you. Anything." She cried looking at her son and then to the girl that brought him to her.

"Ben, listen to your mother. We'll do anything. Give it a chance... for your mother, for me, for our child..." she spoke sincerely

Ben reached out for Rey's hand, finding a soothing comfort in her touch as he remained hugging his mother.

Never had he been so vulnerable in his life. But his soul was bleeding. And so much pain finally needed to be released. It had been bottled up for so long, and now, the only two people in the galaxy he had left, that he loved, found their way to him. And he knew they would not leave. It was a deep feeling of relief. Peace. Something Ben Solo had not felt in countless years.

Ben finally turned to Rey, who sensed relief flood over him and the calm she had so desperately longed to share with him.

With their hands still connected, he stepped towards her and looked deep within her eyes. The woman he was beyond captivated by. The soul that freed him. The person he loved.

"Rey..." he whispered

"Ben." She smiled through tears of her own and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you." He spoke before kissing her lips gently, "for making me realize."

"I love you, Ben, you know that I'd do anything for you." She smiled, but then her smile turned to seriousness, "like getting you out of here..."

"Ben... listen to her... please, come with us." His mother pleaded.

Ben, still shaken by all the recent overwhelming emotions, nodded, and held the two women in a hug. He wouldn't fail them. Never again.

"Let's go." He smiled at them.

Just as they were about to devise a plan to escape, they heard several loud steps march down the hall and confront them in the cell.

Ben immediately pushed Rey and his mother behind him. Setting his hand by his lightsaber in case of anything.

"Supreme Leader... if it isn't your mother and little girlfriend you're protecting there... may I remind you that you sympathize with a General of the Resistance and Jedi Scum!?" Hux practically screamed and tossed Ren's mask on the floor right before him. The mask of the monster that was now foreign to Ben Solo.

"We found this at the Hoth bass... along with the _personal_ belongings of that girl." Hux trailed with distaste being emphasized on the word 'girl', "so we discovered your little romantic getaway with the Jedi. And now we find you letting your mother go free? You sympathize with nothing but scum! You are a traitor!"

With these words, Ben immediately ignited his saber attacking him and slashing his leg straight from the hip to the knee.

Something inside of him didn't let him kill Hux. As much as he hated him.

"Fine..." he murmured seething in pain, "I was going to leak information about the First Order anyways, but it seems you've already beat me to it, Ren."

"I'm not Kylo Ren." He spoke down at the withered Hux grasping his leg on the floor.

"Then who the hell are you?"

"Ben Solo." He responded with a hand out to help Hux up, "we'll get you out of here." He told him

Hux was greatly unsettled by his words. Who was this? Kylo Ren? Trying to save him? Using his birth name?

He took his hand reluctantly, as Rey rushed to help Ben lift him to his feet.

Hux looked over at the stormtroopers, giving them a sign to disregard.

The three rushed then took him over to a medical room where a droid was able to patch over the wound and tie it tightly until it was safe enough to transport him.

With enough convincing, they actually got General Hux to get on a loudspeaker and release every stormtrooper from their post and give them their freedom.

They had really thought they'd done it. They thought the war was over, as Ben, Rey, Leia, BB-8 and an injured Hux navigated the halls with all intentions to leave. Until they turned a corner to find a ship, only for several hundred remaining stormtroopers led by General Pryde.

"I would hate to see you leave so soon, _Supreme Leader_."

"I'm not the Supreme Leader." Ben responded

"Then who is? _Little red_?" Pryde scoffed.

Hux glared at him completely insulted by the remark.

"Alright then, let's get this finished then, shall we?" Pryde looked toward the group and then back at the stormtroopers who had sided with him. "Execute on my command-"

"Stop this!" Ben shouted, "I was foolish to think that this was all there was to be in the galaxy. You don't understand what you're doing!"

"Oh, and you do? Sympathizing with those you swore to destroy? A General of the Resistance? Jedi Scum and her little pet droid?"

"Don't call them that!" He fired back, "you don't know a thing about them!" Feeling his anger return threateningly.

Pryde scoffed. "I know who your mother is Ren. We all do. It isn't like we've just heard about the misery that is the legacy of the Skywalkers..." he spoke with an edge of vengeance. "And this one, of course, the little Jedi who you strived so desperately to destroy. She is nothing but Scum. You threw away everything over some girl that gave you some."

Ben felt anger seething back within him. But this time, towards the ones who had wronged the ones he loved.

"She is not 'some girl'. And she is not 'scum'." Ben snapped staring coldly into the eyes of General Pryde. "You will leave her alone."

Pryde smirked, "What if I don't?"

"You'll have to go through me." Ben hissed

Without a second's notice, Pryde blasted over at Rey, coldly and cruelly, striking her right in the abdomen. Rey dropped to her knees, immediately taken out by such a blow. Leia held Rey up. Barely able to keep her from completely collapsing.

Just seconds after Ben felt the blast hit Rey, he swung at Pryde and killed him with one swipe of his saber.

While many of the troopers disbanded, probably bribed by Pryde into standing with him, few continued to shoot at the small group with only the defense of Ben's red saber.

"Mom, Rey's lightsaber!" Ben reminded as he lifted the girl into his arms leaving his mother to try her best in deflecting the blasters.

"Ben I haven't done this in years!" Leia shouted back

"Just until we get onto the ship..." he responded motioning towards one just feet away. With all the commotion, Hux was an easy target and got killed immediately.

Suddenly, right before them, the roof collapsed in a great explosion, taking several of the stormtroopers with it.

It was a Resistance ship, making BB-8 begin to beep towards the group.

"He's saying... he.. called Poe." Rey pushed herself to say.

Ben rested her head over his shoulder and tried to calm her.

The ship landed with Poe piloting.

The door opened quickly as he shouted for them to get on. They didn't have very long to get help for Rey; down to minutes, each more and more critical than the last.

_**I know I know... Us Reylos have been through enough trauma for at least the century after The Rise of Skywalker ending ... :( I promise this won't be as bad as this sounds! Just hope you enjoyed the chapter :D -Michelle**_


	15. Chapter 15

"What the hell happened to Rey?!" Poe said almost in a panic

"Get her to the nearest medical facility, fast." Ben spoke urgently, holding Rey close and trying to keep her conscious.

Poe nearly jumped at the sight of Kylo Ren boarding his ship.

"General...?" He asked borderline freaked out by the whole ordeal.

"Get to a medical facility!" She told him as Poe didn't even think twice to question Leia. He blasted off in a heartbeat.

But it was Ben who was the most panicked. There was her. All of her. And now their child.

Leia sat close by, trying to bandage the wound until they arrived.

"Ben, I love you." Rey blurted out with her consciousness slipping away from her. Her injury was critical.

"No... Rey... no." He said over and over as tears streamed down his face. There was nothing inside him that would allow the love of his life to be taken from him.

Searching deep in her memory, Leia remembered a healing method of the force she'd read about from one of the Jedi texts many many years before. She had no idea how to summon it, or even if she had the power to perform it. But seeing her son, who would be forever torn by losing the only person he truly loved, pushed her to the realization that at this point anything was worth trying. Rey was still conscious. So they would only had a few moments to do this.

She reached out into the force, calling every Jedi spirit to help her. She set her hand gently near the bandaged wound on Rey's abdomen, Calling to Luke, her father Anakin, Obi-Wan, anyone that could help her. Ben immediately realized what she was doing, and set his hand beside his mother's. He too began calling out, for the first time in several years, to anyone who would listen.

'Dad' he cried in his thoughts. 'I'm so sorry, for everything. Please, help Rey.' He pleaded to the force in desperation.

Suddenly, the two heard Rey gasping for air, as her abdomen raised and fell perfectly now.

"Rey?" Ben asked looking into her eyes.

"Ben." She answered in tears lifting a hand to the back of his neck urging him to come closer. He eagerly complied, burying his face into her neck and crying hysterically.

"I'm here." She whispered, "thank you." She added still holding Ben close and reaching a hand out towards Leia.

Leia smiled and took the girl's hand in her's comfortingly. She didn't know if it was the love she had for her because what she meant to her son, or whether she seen Rey as the daughter she never had, or whether it was because she carried her grandchild, or all of it, but Leia felt immense love and relief for Rey at that moment. She was her family now. And nothing could ever change that.

"But something's wrong..." Rey addressed

Ben, almost uncharacteristically concerned turned to her and felt it too. Leia even felt some kind of distress through the force. But it all quickly ended peacefully.

"Poe, let's still get her to that medical facility," Leia asked urgently

"I'm on it." He acknowledged and increased the speed of the ship.

"Rey, what do you feel?" Ben asked searching her eyes.

She shut her eyes for a moment, sensing death, but sudden, and peaceful, but also life, a second chance, and another hope.

She told this to Ben and Leia, who both could not fully understand what these feelings were telling her.

"We're here!" Poe announced landing the ship.

"I'll go get the doctors and tell them it's an emergency. You two stay with Rey." Poe said before rushing out.

"Rey, we're at the medical facility." Leia said soothingly as she and Ben helped her up

The three walked out of the ship, to be met with doctors who brought a wheelchair out for Rey to bring her in with.

"I'm gonna re-park and I'll be in the waiting room." Poe told Ben and Leia as they separated to stay with Rey.

Nearly an hour later, Rey laid in a medical bed seeing Leia and Ben sit beside her in chairs.

The doctor came into the room; a woman with a regretful look spread across their face. The three immediately sensed bad news.

"Hi, Ms..." the doctor began looking through her document but not seeing a last name for Rey listed.

"Solo. Rey Solo." Rey spoke immediately sensing Ben and Leia's reaction, and reached out to take Ben's hand. She needed all of his presence just in case this was in fact bad news.

"Ms. Solo..." She said sitting in a third chair across from the rest, "I'm so sorry, but it seems that you were carrying twins, but one has passed on."

"What about the other?" Rey asked eyes filling with tears, still clinging on to hope.

"The other is perfectly healthy... it's quite incredible really, considering the trauma you went through before arriving here... I'm truly sorry about your other one," she doctor sighed, "it is just much too early in your pregnancy to have had them delivered."

"I understand." Rey responded before they all thanked the doctor for her help.

"How far am I along?" Rey asked really having no idea what week it could have began.

"I would say... right around the three month mark. Is there anything else you have questions about?" The doctor asked sympathetically, "routines, diets, things of that sort."

"Yes," Leia began, "what things shouldn't she be doing, especially after this situation?" Spoken like a true mother who needed the doctor to tell their kid something so they would be more apt to listen.

"No stressing. You need to relax." The doctor told Rey, "you just saved a galaxy, go home with your family."

Thankfully, even though Rey had become very recognizable over the past few months, Ben was hardly recognizable to the general public without his mask and would probably be able to get by in some planets for the rest of their lives.

The doctor left the room and left the three on their own. Ben moved closer to Rey so that he could hold her close. She buried her head into his chest. Still conflicted over the feeling of pain or joy.

As she stayed embracing Ben, Leia walked around to the other side of the bed and sat beside her, comfortingly setting a hand on her shoulder.

Even though having twins still terrified Rey, she deeply regretted what she had said before. If it happened to be twins it was meant to be. But now with only one something felt incomplete.

"It's not your fault, Rey." Leia told her soothingly, "we'll get through this, I promise."

Rey searched for Ben's eyes. Needing his comfort now most of all. His promise.

"I'm not going anywhere." He spoke stroking her face gently.

—

After a while, the group finally left the medical facility and boarded Poe's ship.

It had been several hours, and the group was exhausted by the time they finally headed home.

Leia rested on one of the ships seats, trying to close her eyes for a while and process all that had just happened in that short time.

Ben and Rey sat together by a wall, still holding each other and also trying to get some rest before heading home. Near him, she never felt like a nobody. She felt complete, wanted and needed.

"So let me get this straight..." Poe said interrupting them as he had just left the ship on autopilot, "you're no longer with the First Order?" He asked looking to Ben.

"No... not anymore."

"What exactly... changed your mind 'cause you know it wasn't too long ago you had me held in an interrogation chair tortured by your droids until you sucked the information pretty painfully out of my mind..."

"I'm sorry about that... but, I realized that I was wrong."

"That fast? Because only a few months ago you had us blacked up and almost dead on Crait."

"It was Rey... she changed me."

"Poe you know about the relationship already... but it's been going on for months... I shouldn't have hidden from you, Finn, Rose and Leia for so long but it wasn't an easy time... we still weren't sure if what we were doing was right, or even safe." Rey explained

"Wait... how many months are you along?" Poe asked

"Three months."

"Yeah... so not too long after Crait..." he figured

"Whenever it was, it's not exactly your business. What's important is that Ben's here and that he's on our side."

"Yeah, okay..." Poe said still with a bit of disappointment.

After all Kylo Ren had done, it wouldn't be that easy for everyone to welcome him back. He had cost Resistance Fighters more than he could ever account for. And the pair realized this.

"Do you think we should go somewhere else?" Ben suggested already foreseeing all the distrust and disapproval he'd receive when arriving back on the Resistance base

"They'll get over it, Ben. Eventually." Rey smiled slightly, trying to remain hopeful as she leaned back into Ben's embrace.

"It's not that simple." He reminded her. "I know what I've done. What they think of me."

"Give them a chance. Like you gave me a chance." She said taking his hand and intertwining their fingers gently.

"You're different, Rey. Quite a bit different. We have a special connection that probably has never been seen before... we understand each other in a way that no one else can."

"Here we are again, then." She said sadly

"Look, it's not about us Rey, there is nothing that could make me want to leave you. But as soon as I get there I just know they'll want me dead."

"We'll warn them, before you walk out of the ship-"

"I know what I've done," He sighed, "to their friends, their families... my father... I can understand why they wouldn't want me alive after everything."

Rey shut her eyes painfully and turned her face towards Ben's chest, tears falling against the black patterned material.

He set his other hand around her shoulders, holding her close

"You're going to be like this for a while aren't you?" He asked empathetically only for her to sniffle through her tears as an answer.

"That's okay." He comforted

"After everything I just want to be with you." She sobbed into him, "I'm tired of always being something I'm not for others."

"I know that feeling. Quite well in fact." He said

"I know." She cried

Leia heard the two speaking and had woken up to Rey crying.

"Rey, dear, what's wrong?" Leia asked her walking over to the two

"Mother, I don't think I can face the Resistance..." Ben said shamefully.

"I figured that you would feel like this." She sighed. "And to be honest... I know the people down there will never understand this whole situation."

"What do we do?" Ben asked in despair, "Rey shouldn't have to put up with all of this."

"I know," Leia said painfully. "If it would help, maybe we can find another planet for the two of you to stay on until we come up with a plan on what to do next." Leia told her.

Rey nodded her head into Ben's chest trying to overcome her moment of frustration with a deep breath. She was supposed to be the light in the balance. But the past few hours felt like this whole unending test. Making her feel anger, pain, and then everything all over again.

It wasn't too long until they got to the Resistance base, where they found an adequate ship to lend Ben and Rey. It wasn't much and was a bit aged, but it could fly well, had a place to sleep and a small refresher. It was what they needed, and very generous of Leia and Poe to give them such a ship.

"I'll see you soon then?" Rey asked Leia as they boarded the ship.

"Soon, I promise." She said giving the girl a hug.

"You'd better take care of her, son." Leia said looking toward Ben and even getting a small smile out of him, "I know we aren't used to Rey needing a lot from us. But even if she refuses you remind her you're always there for her."

"I know," Ben replied, accepting a hug from his mother.

BB-8 then rolled out of Poe's ship asking if he could give Rey a communication chip.

Rey smiled and took it from the droid. "I'll miss you, little friend."

He beeped cheerfully, reminding Rey it wouldn't be too long until they saw each other again.

Rey lovingly smiled at BB-8 and then turned back to Leia sadly.

"Anything you need, whatever time, you call me." Leia told her.

"Thank you." Rey said softly before giving her one last hug.

"Go on you two." Leia said with a smile and a tear in her eye watching Ben and Rey board the ship and shut the door behind him.

'Here's hoping they can actually stand the test of time.' She thought, knowing it would be one of the hardest challenges of all.

_**Okay but like, Leia being such a mom! Writing this was so much fun and I can't wait to release the next chapter tomorrow! :) Hope you all enjoyed and please review! -Michelle **_


	16. Chapter 16

As soon as Leia and Poe returned to the Resistance base, a celebration broke out. They'd won the war. Snoke was gone. Kylo Ren was gone. (Or so they were told by Leia and Poe) And all the higher-ranking officials with them. The rest were all stormtroopers. Most not even wanting to be there anyway. Most disbanded and left the First Order as soon as they forced Hux to release them on the loudspeaker. But despite all the celebration, Leia was torn between the happiness of her Resistance and the sadness of having to send her son and Rey away. The fact that everyone would most likely reject him after everything Kylo Ren had done was understandable, yet a crushing blow after he had just turned for the sake of Rey and his mother.

Leia sat alone throughout most of the celebration. She had lost so much and so many throughout her life. Not every victory of war meant victory overall. The Battle against the Empire took her adoptive parents, the people she loved most in her entire life until the day she had Ben. She lost each and every one of her friends from Alderaan. She learned one of the evilest Sith Lords was her biological father, and he ended up dead even after realizing all he had done wrong. In this war, it was her husband. The man she spent the best years of her life with. The ones in between the Wars. The father of her only child. Taken by that child himself. She had thought that son had even been lost forever after such a horrible deed. And then the loss of her twin brother, and now the loss of one grandchild she'd never meet. Her life was marked by loss after loss. And although she remained strong for those around her, so many memories still burnt at the at the calluses her soul, no matter how hard she tried to fight them, everything would always be there.

She sat there. Thinking about her son, Rey, and the baby. Their safety. Their happiness. Everything.

Rose then walked up to her, the engineer girl who had gone with Finn on the mission to shut down the First Order's trackers.

"General, is everything alright?" She asked her

"I'm alright dear." She said with a smile as Rose sat beside her.

"I was meaning to ask you, where is Rey? You told us she was training, but surely she'd be back for this? I thought she killed Kylo Ren and then we took care of the rest."

"Not exactly..."

"What do you mean?"

Leia sighed opting to tell the girl the truth.

"Bring Poe and Finn. I'll explain everything to you three."

Rose nodded and left momentarily, coming back with Finn who was curious why the General needed to speak to them urgently even though the war was over, and Poe, who understood bits and pieces of the situation by now.

"Rey wasn't training for the last few days on Hoth." Leia began as Finn and Rose looked at her questioningly, "she went to spend a couple days with and speak with my son, Ben... who you two would probably know as Kylo Ren... about her pregnancy and what they were going to do. But she turned him. Maybe not to a full Jedi, but he has given up his commitment to the dark."

"You're serious? So she didn't kill him?" Rose asked

"From a certain perspective, you could say she killed Kylo Ren." Leia explained, "but in a way that preserved her light; by restoring Ben Solo's."

"Where is she now?" Finn asked in a concerned matter.

"She's going to stay on another planet with him for a while. Just until I'm able to go with her. She needs to relax. She's been through a lot in this war. She needs to calm down for herself, and the baby." Leia reminded.

"So she really loves him?" Finn asked

"Yes, I believe she really does." Leia said in an understanding but honest tone, knowing about the feelings Finn and Rey once had for each other.

"Even after everything he's done?" Finn added in a confused matter, "How can she watch him do that to Han and then fall in love with him?"

"That's exactly why we didn't bring them back with us. The force is very strange. They're a dyad of the force. But this time it's a romantic one. And those things bound you by the soul until you can't even think straight about the other person. But look, if they truly keep each other happy, learn how to work together and they keep each other away from completely falling into darkness, I don't mind. I just want my son to be happy. I want him to be a good person again."

The three looked at each other as if they didn't completely buy it but wanted to believe in the hope Leia always radiated with.

"You don't have to see him now. I understand that. That's why we didn't bring him back here. He understood that. But Rey wants to see the three of you again. You three are her family. She trusted you in knowing about her relationship with Kylo Ren. And now with Ben Solo. If you trust her, you will trust her judgment that Ben has turned."


	17. Chapter 17

"What planet should we go to?" Rey asked as the ship stayed in orbit of the Resistance base planet.

"My mother gave me the names of a few suitable planets." He said taking out a small paper.

The paper read one name, much to Ben's surprise.

"Ahch-To..."

"For what reason? Rey asked. Shouldn't we go to Hoth and get the Falcon?"

"She wants me to see Luke first, I believe." Ben realized, "Do you have the coordinates of Ahch-To?"

She nodded and gave him the coordinates by memory. Luckily, she had studied that map so many times before going herself, that the images were practically embedded in her mind.

Ben set the ship on autopilot and sunk into his chair. After this long, tiring day of so many changes, now they were off to see Luke, his former master, and Uncle, who he, of course, had a negative history with.

"Ben, it's going to be alright." Rey told him setting her hands on his shoulders, "I'll be right there with you. The whole time." She promised.

"I know."

She knelt down behind him, wrapping his arms around his chest and burying her face in his neck. Both sighed until she moved her face slightly to kiss him on the cheek.

"I heard there's a room onboard." She smiled using her other hand to play with his hair flirtatiously.

He smirked at her hints. But then reminded her that the doctor told her to take it easy for the next few days.

She simply responded with a sigh of annoyance.

"Patience." He laughed and swiveled the pilot seat around.

"We should get some rest." He told her before he stood up and they both retreated to the bedroom for some much needed sleep.

_**Sorry for the short chapters, that's why I decided to upload two today! I hope everyone is having an amazing New Years 2020! And please come back tomorrow for a new chapter, as always! I have some big ideas in mind for future chapters, so I hope you'll stay tuned for more of this story in the new decade! -Michelle**_


	18. Chapter 18

For the next few hours, the couple remained in the sleeping quarters. Ben had drifted off to sleep, but Rey had not found such peace yet with all the commotion that had happened.

She stared at the blank ceiling. Feeling Ben's warmth beside her but her mind leading elsewhere. She sat up quickly, ridden by anxious thoughts and guilt creeping in the back of her mind.

'Stop' She told herself taking deep breaths, 'this is not you'. She reminded herself

"Rey," she turned her head seeing Ben reach out for her. "What's wrong?" He asked

"Nothing. I just can't sleep." She told him.

"Come here," He said extending an arm and pulling Rey into his embrace. He then gently kissed her forehead and wrapped his arms around her soothingly. "Talk to me..." he said encouraging her to address her feelings

"Ben, I'm fine, really... it's just been a long day."

He sighed, "When you're ready, I'm here." He reminded sensing some distress in her thoughts. He tried to read her, but for the first time in a long time she shielded him from her thoughts. This concerned Ben, but he understood it had been a difficult day and hopefully she'd just need time.

In his arms, she was eventually able to find some sleep. Ben followed her shortly.

—

After a few hours, they finally made it to Ahch-To, and were stationed in the sky so that they could change and freshen up after hours in the same clothes. Ben was nervous at the thought of having to see his uncle again after that terrible confrontation on Crait. He knew Luke was a force projection, but he was still guilt-ridden by the fact he lost his life because of him. He may as well as killed Luke Skywalker.

"Ben," Rey interjected, "don't think like that, you didn't kill him." Rey told him while sitting on the bed waiting for him to get ready as he changed behind a privacy screen.

Ben sighed and put his shirt on. Walking out from behind the screen.

Rey was shocked when she saw him.

"Brown?!" She almost said with a gasp

"I thought I'd try something different... do you not like it?" He asked

"No, I love it. Maybe not as eye-catching as the black... but... I think it will do just fine for today." She spoke as she walked up to him and set her hands on his chest. Feeling the more rigid, natural-looking fabric underneath her fingers. It was nowhere near as polished and smooth as the leather, but it was nice in a way to see Ben in something more natural and relaxed.

"Ben..." she spoke, "I think this belongs to you." said reaching to her belt and detaching the Skywalker Legacy Lightsaber. "For the record, it would be nice to be a Solo someday... but I'm not a Skywalker, Ben... this is your story." She spoke handing him the Lightsaber of his uncle and grandfather before him. He took it and looked over it momentarily.

"My story is nothing without you." He said before setting it down on the table behind him.

"No... I'm just a part of it," she smiled and stepped toward him, "I'm still figuring out my own."

He wrapped his arms around her waist gently and searched her eyes.

"What?" She asked with a single laugh

"Your eyes." He smiled, "they're beautiful." Now completely laughing she rolled her eyes at his remark, and brought him into a light kiss to bring up his spirits for the day ahead. They were about to face a large portion of his past, but she would be there with him, always.

After a bit of time had passed, the two finally prepared to land the ship.

Rey was the first one to step out finding Luke appear in his ghost form.

"Hey, it's been a while," Luke said seeing her.

She looked straight at him, smiling until she saw his smile fade away. She turned, seeing Ben exiting the ship behind her, not prepared for the situation ahead.

"Oh kriff, what's going on here!?" Luke looked at the two

Both unable to respond, Ben simply resorted to taking Rey's hand.

Luke reacted just by looking away and shaking his head with an edge of unease. "Please tell me there aren't any more surprises."

"Ben turned... and..." she stopped

"Rey's... pregnant." Ben added

Luke looked at each of the two wide-eyed with an awkward expression spreading across his face.

"Ben, does your mother know about this?" Luke asked

"She knows." Ben assured him

"And she's been trying to help us... she even sent us here for some reason... so Ben didn't have to go back to the Resistance base... but we couldn't understand why she told us to come here specifically." Rey explained trying to break the awkwardness of the moment.

"I know why she sent you here." Luke said knowingly

"Please, tell us why." Rey asked

"First promise me there aren't any more surprises with the two of you..."

"None." Ben responded still not too content with the fact that he was in his Uncle's presence once again.

Luke sensed his nephew's doubts, but knew it wasn't the time to address them.

"Come with me." Luke told the pair as he began walking up a hill.

After entering a small hut, Luke handed Rey a different lightsaber.

"Leia's saber..." she realized

"We knew you'd return the legacy saber to its rightful owner once he returned, but you are still a Jedi Rey, and the daughter she never had. She would want you to carry on her legacy."

"But I'm not a Skywalker..." Rey explained, "I'm not even an Organa."

"Bloodline doesn't mean everything Rey. She sees in you what she never got to be. And she wants you to have everything you need to find your own place in all of this."

"Thank you, Master Skywalker." She said with a smile before attaching the saber to her belt.

"So what's this... whole thing about?" He asked in confusion looking toward the couple.

"We're together..." Ben said looking to Rey

Rey sighed, "and we are... expecting..." She trailed off awkwardly, "but it helped him in turning him." She explained

"I see." Luke responded, "well if my sister gives you two her blessing, I guess there is something positive that could come of all of this."

"Anakin Skywalker spoke to me..." Rey began, "he came and told me that Ben's and my child could be the chosen one. So we spent the last few days on Hoth together working everything out and Ben... just... turned." She said almost as if still amazed herself, "And we took down the First Order."

"What about Snoke?" Luke asked

"I killed him when I was Kylo Ren... to protect Rey."

"I guess that only leads us into more explanations..." Rey added, "he sympathized with me because of our communication through the force bond... and I sympathized with him, and our force bonds only continued. My only question is how is this still happening despite Snoke being dead. I know Ben and I are starting to understand how to open and close it, but how is it still able to be used?"

"You two are a dyad of the force..." he sighed, "which is why I was concerned that if you spent too much time together he would turn you. That's why I ran in."

"A dyad?" Rey inquired

"Two souls that create one, according to the force. It is one of the rarest things to occur... but this time it happened to be romantic, and all the more dangerous for both of you."

"Why dangerous? I turned." Ben clarified

"You were supposed to balance one another. Now, with both of you gaining power from the light... there is reason to believe you may face a great threat from the darkness at any time in the future."

"How would we prevent that?" Rey asked

"Balance between the two of you." Luke replied simply. Rey suddenly remembered what Anakin Skywalker had told her about allowing their child to be neutral in the force, without aligning themselves with the Jedi or Sith.

Rey nodded, believing she understood what their job was.

Just as Luke was about to address a separate issue, an audible crash of thunder came from outside the small hut.

Ben stood up quickly and looked out the door, watching the sky darken and thunder rattle through the sky.

"We can't fly through that Rey." He turned shutting the door.

"A storm… looks like you two are going to be stuck here anyway." Luke said

"It seems that we have bad luck with that." Rey mentioned to Ben.

—-

Late that night, as Ben and Rey slept in the hut Luke had offered them, Rey began to toss and turn frantically in her sleep, immediately waking her up shaking and in tears.

Ben woke almost instantaneously when sensing her distress, moving into a sitting position and saw her hold her knees into her chest with tears streaming down her face.

"Rey... what is it?" He asked setting each of his hands on one of her arms trying to comfort her.

"Rey." He asked again when she shook her head in denial and buried her face into her knees.

"Don't block me out." He reminded sadly, feeling her mind shut off to him, "I'm here for you."

"There's something wrong with all of this..." she cried


	19. Chapter 19

"Rey, that's not true. We are together now. Everything's fine."

"That's exactly the issue..." she trailed off in a panic.

"Why would you say that?" He asked

"We can't be both light... or our child will be turned to the darkness."

"Rey, don't-" he began to hug her but was interrupted.

"There's been enough generations before us to already figure that an imbalance on either side will cause an uprising from the other... I felt it... if our dyad is light then our child could only turn to darkness to balance it... you weren't supposed to turn... and I made you turn..." she said as tears streamed down her face.

"I turned against the First Order and the dark to save my mother, and to save you... I would have done it a million times over."

"We didn't balance anything Ben."

"Rey my concern was you. It still is. I'm never letting you touch the darkness. You don't want to feel that."

"Then what are we going to do?"

"Rey, they will not turn. Not with us. We know how it is to be left behind... we won't make the same mistakes." He spoke softly watching her crumble before him. He knew all too well what it was like to have these dreams. That wake you up in the deepest of sleep and torment your mind with twisted and haunting thoughts. It terrified him deeply to know that Rey was beginning to suffer the same. "Rey..." he told her pulling her close to him and taking her hands in his, "don't do this to yourself... it's not your fault. Those voices... they're lying to you." He said as tears came to him eyes recalling each nightmare he had growing up and how they destroyed him from the inside out. "You are stronger than them."

Rey then allowed the barrier to fall between them as she sunk into his arms. She had never trusted someone as she did him. It was intense and comforting, despite all they had been through in the past. She wanted to trust him with this, but it only brought her conflict. More than she had ever faced before.

She opened her mind to him, letting him see the pain swelling within her and everything she had never shown to another person.

Rey continued to let him search her mind, feeling tears on her face not of her own. In seeing her mind, he felt himself within her soul. The mirror image of him for so many years, and it killed him. But she continued to cling on to light regardless of what it cost her, even if it caused great personal pain.

He took his hand and gently framed her face, lifting it up and searching her eyes both filled with tears.

"We get through this... together..." he told her

"Something tells me this is going to be the hardest part..." she responded.

"There is more than just pain, Rey. You taught me that." He reminded before kissing her lips gently

She continued to cry, laying back down before Ben followed, holding her tightly and trying to comfort her. He had known better than anyone what this was like. And that's what made their bond so intense and unique. Their experiences, emotions, and thoughts were so incredibly synchronized that they felt as one. Anything that one felt the other would feel. This included happiness, this included conflict, but most of all it included pain.

She eventually drifted back to sleep in the comfort of his arms, but Ben, on the other hand, couldn't find any peace in sleeping with so much concern over Rey. He calmly and quietly stood up from the bed and covered his clothes with a cloak before stepping outside into the rainy night of Ahch-To.

He stared at the crashing waves that stood before him. The same ones Rey had looked towards just few months before early into their force bond. He shut his eyes. Looking for the peace that supposedly surrounded this Jedi temple.

_'Help us.' He sighed, 'no, just help her.'_

"Light sleeper?" Luke asked appearing beside him in his ghost form.

Ben was slightly startled but fixed his sight back onto the ocean

"Not usually." He responded

"You're worried about her." Luke addressed

Ben stared down, thinking of Rey instantly, "I can't let her go through anything I did."

Luke nodded understandingly.

"Ben, I told you this already in the worst possible circumstances... but I'm sorry for everything I did. It shouldn't have taken me that long to figure it out." He sighed. "What I let you go through is unforgivable. And I would do anything if I could go back and change it." He said shaking his head. "Not as a Jedi, but as an Uncle."

"There's something you should know." Ben added, "I never killed the other Jedi that night... I never wanted any of that to happen. It was Snoke. He wanted me to feel lost."

"I'm sorry Ben..." Luke realized turning to his nephew. He was stunned at the revelation, but seeing it in his eyes, he knew he meant it.

"You're my Uncle. I never wanted to harm you. But for a conflicted child to see his only real guidance try to kill him... it breaks you. Everything you've ever known to be true."

"I know..." Luke said regretfully, "And it passed so quickly I couldn't even comprehend how I came to such a thought." He looked toward him as his eyes watered. "You're my twin sister's son. I remember the day your parents announced that you were on the way, the day you were born, the first day you ever wielded a lightsaber and the joy it brought you. I never wanted this to be how it ended between us because you were the closest thing that ever came to being a child of my own. And when you know you've failed at such a vital bond... it never leaves you."

The two men stood there turning towards the ocean and fighting tears. Luke knew he'd never be the same as Ben's father, but they had a connection for many years that was very much like a father and son. It pained Luke that in a single moment he had thrown it away, wishing that just once that night so long ago he could have thought like a human instead of a Jedi. As an Uncle, and not as a Master. It could have changed everything.

Ben sensed Luke's thoughts as tears ran down his face.

"I'm sorry I failed you, Ben." Luke broke the silence, "whatever you do, take care of that girl. She's been the only one of us that never gave up on you… that didn't betray you…" he said regretfully towards his own actions.

"She's been having strange dreams as I once did. And I'm frightened for her. I know what it's like. And I don't want her to suffer it."

"Remind her that whatever she faces, she doesn't face it alone. Skywalker or not, she is part of your story and you are part of her's."

Ben took a deep breath as his mind was consumed by thoughts of Rey.

"I forgive you, Uncle." Ben spoke before turning away towards the hut where Rey was still asleep.

Luke looked upon the boy with tears in his eyes but a sense of peace in his soul. The most unforgivable deed of his life was now made peace with. He watched his nephew enter the hut and shut the door behind him quietly.

"I love ya, kid." He smiled before vanishing into the force.

—

Ben returned to bed with Rey, and settled in finally finding some sleep, and even a bit more peace.

_**Sorry for yesterday's chapter not being so strong :( I realized that and spent most of last night into the morning writing two chapters ahead for this fanfic so although they don't have a lot of action I at least hope they're emotionally a bit stronger! I just felt like Ben's redemption was too easy and MUST come with a lot of consequences. That's why the story is only just beginning with his turn. **_

_**Also, I started reading a ton of the comic books, thanks to Christmas money lol. As you might have been able to notice since he reveals he didn't kill the Jedi Luke was training. Thanks again for reading, and please review how you think the story is going so far! :) -Michelle**_


	20. Chapter 20

The next morning Ben and Rey prepared to leave. Luke was not appearing but the couple had decided that the next order of business had to be retrieving the Falcon from Hoth.

But upon boarding, Rey saw two small animals crying in the grass. She immediately walked down from the ramp and found two baby Porgs who were freezing and starving for food.

"Where's your mother little ones?"

One chirped sadly.

"She's gone?" She responded as one of the Porgs chirped once again. "Ben," Rey called, thinking about these poor little creatures and their need for compassion in this moment, "would you bring me a box and some blankets?"

"What?" He asked in confusion peering outside the ship. "Rey we have to get to-... kriff you've got to be kidding me..." he said realizing what she was going to do.

"Ben, the box." Rey asked again. Ben rolled his eyes but decided to obey her. She was going through a lot and maybe this would at least keep her happy.

He reluctantly brought out a box and a blanket as she instructed and handed it to her.

"You know they all live on this planet for a reason." He said

"Yes, but their mother is gone, they won't make it without someone taking care of them." She said laying the blanket in the box and set in the two gently and covering them.

"Alright." She took a deep breath, standing up with the box in her arms, "You'll be safe you two."

"Come on," Ben smiled, "next you'll want to bring one of the caretakers." he joked

"I don't think they like me very much." Rey laughed remembering the time she shot a hole into one of the structures during her very first force bond meeting with Ben.

He laughed at her recalling this and motioned for her to walk up the ramp. And together they boarded with the two little Porgs. Off to Hoth in order to retrieve the Falcon.

After retrieving the Falcon, the two made sure to leave quickly so that they wouldn't be stuck there with another storm.

Ben piloted the falcon, while Rey remained on the Resistance ship that they now planned to return. It was only a matter of time until they got back to the base. But thankfully through their force bond, it's not like they needed to spend that time apart.

After setting the Resistance craft on autopilot, Rey took some food out of their supplies and fed the two little Porgs.

"You look like a Leo," she said handing one a piece of portion, "and you look like and Eva." she said with a smile as she gave the girl Porg the other piece.

"Now you're naming them?" Ben asked in amusement standing behind her.

"They're cute and you like them..." Rey teased Ben as he set his arms around her waist.

She then tucked the small animals in the blanket as they drifted to sleep.

Her strength and perseverance had always drawn him to her. The fact that even in the face of pain, or any obstacle, she fought her way through it, never gave into anything, and knew how to fight for herself. But even more alluring was her empathy. Regardless of everything she'd been through- abandoned as a child, receiving little to no kindness or sympathy on her end all her life- her heart still guided her to goodness.

He took her hand gently and walked her towards a wall, she backed up slowly staring into his eyes and allowing him to take her lips passionately.

"It's still not the same through the force bond..." she whispered finally releasing the kiss

"Certainly got us through before..." he reminded as the two laughed and pressed their lips together again.

Suddenly the small speaking device that hung on Rey's belt began ringing loudly. Breaking the kiss immediately, she reached for the device hearing Rose's voice frantically calling to her.

"Rey? Rey! We need your help! First Order sympathizers have found our base and there are too many of them..."

Rey instantly pressed the button and took a few steps away from Ben, "we'll be there. But please, let them know that Ben Solo will be with me and they must not shoot. He's on our side." She told Rose looking into the eyes of her partner. Ben nodded as the force bond immediately closed for the two to rush to the controls on both ships and get back to the Resistance base faster.

"Alright Rey. Thank you!" Rose said dropping the call.

'Go.' Rey told Ben through the force as the two simultaneously set their ships to light speed.

**_A bit of a shorter chapter today, but tomorrow we have a battle scene! And some revelations! Hope you're enjoying so far! -Michelle_**


	21. Chapter 21

As the two landed on Ajan Kloss, it unfortunately didn't take much for the First Order sympathizers to recognize the Millennium Falcon, coming toward it shooting almost immediately.

Luckily, Poe and a group of other Resistance Fighters battled above, waiting for the two Jedi to take their place fighting on the ground. With his grandfather's saber and Rey with Leia's, they took down several soldiers with ease before dozens of others came toward them with blasters and laser axes.

'Rey, careful out here!' He reminded her in a very concerned tone through the force. He knew she could always take care of herself. But it was more than just her now. And watching Rey battle it out with a lightsaber against dozens of people with blasters at 3 months pregnant didn't exactly set him at ease.

'I know.' She responded just as she kicked one of the soldiers and stabbed him dead in a single blow.

"Traitor!" Someone shouted at Ben and blasted at him, but thankfully Rey was right on time to deflect it.

'I'm fine, Ben, you need to concentrate, please!' She told him as he took a deep breath and struck the same soldier that had shot at him.

"Old weapon you have there, _Supreme Leader_. At least it's properly built this time." Another said before being pushed away and slammed on the floor using the force.

The two continued to battle the soldiers as Poe and others fought in the air.

As a final soldier attacked Rey, he came with a haunting message. "Light rises... and dark to kill it..." he hissed before Rey felt an intense surge of fear run through her. Something deep within her reacted with such strength that she snapped, force choking the soldier mercilessly and killing him, dropping him to the ground and beheading him with her lightsaber.

She immediately deactivated it, stepping away unable to believe what she'd done.

Ben had watched in shock, taking her in his arms and trying to get her away.

"We're done here, they need our help." He reminded as Rey nodded, still shaken by the energy she had felt take over her as Ben practically dragged her on the Falcon.

"Drive. I'll shoot." He told her as they split up.

The Falcon rose quickly, as Ben shot at the First Order Sympathizers. He was truly facing his past and the shards that remained of it. As the last ship stood in the sky he held his thumb over the button to release the final blow to the First Order. But this time, he knew who he was fighting for. And even if it wasn't the First Order or the Resistance specifically, he made his choice pressing the button and seeing the final craft fall and crash into the ship Rey had landed in.

'Ben the Porgs!' She practically shouted through the force. She immediately landed the ship and ran outside towards the wreckage with Ben chasing after her.

"Rey-" Ben yelled pulling her arms back, falling on the dirt behind them and barely rolling away before the ships burst into flames.

Rey immediately felt tears prick at her eyes as she lay there in the dirt held by Ben.

Just then, almost miraculously, Chewbacca called out to her.

When she finally turned toward him, she saw a box in his arms holding none other than Eva and Leo.

"Chewie." She cried before hugging him warmly for saving her two Porgs.

"Thank you." She said and pet the small animals.

Chewie stared down at Ben unsure how to react. The last time they had seen each other he shot the boy he had been a friend to throughout his childhood. The one who had killed his own father, Chewie's best friend and it was not an easy thing to forgive.

"He's with us now..." Rey told him with a smile, "Ben is, and we're together." She added taking Ben's hand in her's.

Chewie made a confused noise.

"Yes, a couple." she laughed, "and we're expecting too..." she whispered as Chewbacca glanced at both of them, handing Rey the box with the two Porgs as he immediately began hugging Ben tightly.

"I missed you too." Ben sighed with a smile as his father's greatest companion embraced him for the first time in decades.

After the hug, Chewbacca stepped back and padded Ben on the shoulder, offering to hold the Porgs for Rey. She laughed slightly, handing the box back to him. But her smile dropped seeing the entire Resistance stand before the two, obviously staring at who they had known to be Kylo Ren.

Rey took his hand quickly, trying to show the Resistance that he would not harm them.

"We thought he was dead!" yelled one of the Resistance Fighters

"This isn't Kylo Ren." Rey defended, "this is Ben Solo, son of Han Solo and General Leia Organa, nephew to Jedi Master Luke Skywalker…" she began looking around at the angered and confused faces. This wasn't going to be enough of an excuse.

"He's also my partner..." she spoke as many gasps arose. "I know many of you will still see the facade that was Kylo Ren, but if you trust me, and if you trust Leia, the one who guided you to victory, you will trust that this is not the man you thought he was. This is Ben, and he defeated the First Order just the other day... it wasn't me. He did this for you. His mother. For me…" she paused feeling tears pierce at her eyes and sense something intense rise inside of her, burning to be shared, "and for her." She said setting her hand over her abdomen in a final emotional plea to the Resistance. Even more gasps arose from the crowd.

"Wait it's a-" Ben turned to her in shock.

She looked into his eyes smiling as tears streamed down her face, nodding gently.

"How do you-?" He responded fighting tears and reaching out to touch her face gently as he felt an overwhelming surge of happiness fill him.

"I just felt it." She looked at him as the two fell into a hug, happy emotional wrecks at the revelation.

He found her lips, kissing her gently before collecting themselves quickly realizing the entire Resistance was still watching them.

"Ben." Leia appeared walking toward them with tears in her eyes.

She hugged her son, elated at the news, even releasing a few tears herself.

"A little girl!" She told him in disbelief and amazement. He nodded nearly succumbing to tears himself.

"General..." called Lieutenant Connix, "we understand that there's a whole situation here... but there's no way we can accept him with open arms after what he put us through."

Leia turned towards the Resistance sadly. The family that she'd built over so many years. On a cause. On hope. That now hated the very family of her blood.

She turned to Poe. Hoping he would say something. Anything in her defense. But all he could do was let out a sigh and shake his head.

"This is not the man Kylo Ren was. This is my son." Leia spoke to all of them.

"Mom," Ben stopped her shaking his head, "I know what Kylo Ren did... whether he meant to or not. But I must take responsibility for his actions... not you." He told her.

"Give us one reason not to shoot you dead right here." A Resistance Fighter said as he crossed his arms.

Rey immediately looked hurt. Looking towards Rose, Poe, and then Finn for any sign of support.

Rose and Poe remained silent. But Finn looked into her eyes and realized something that made him need to speak.

"Look..." He said turning to look at the Resistance, "you trusted me. When I was a stormtrooper. I worked for him," he said pointing at Ben, "in the first order. You could have easily seen me as a traitor, or as a spy, but you gave me a chance to prove to you I believe in good and I was redeemed. I seen Kylo Ren kill Han Solo with my own eyes… but I love Rey as if she were a sister to me. I trust her, and I believe in her. And if she can feel in her heart this man isn't the Kylo Ren we all see, then I want to believe her. I want to give him a chance..." Finn spoke feeling tears at his eyes, "I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't want to miss out on being an uncle figure to someone who will be such a beautiful, kind, powerful and strong little girl. And I know this because I know her mother. And I am not going to miss this just because of someone her father used to be."

At the end of his speech, Rey approached Finn with tears in her eyes and hugged him.

"Like I said, you're my best friend Rey. I only want you to be happy." Finn spoke with a single tear rushing down his face, somehow able to block all of his hidden, agonizing emotions from Rey in prioritizing her's. He was finally coming to peace with the fact that that their story had long ended, and her true happiness did not lie with him no matter what he felt for her.

"Thank you, dear friend." She cried releasing him from the hug.

Ben stood behind her looking at him. Finn might have been able to keep his thoughts away from Rey, but Ben knew exactly what he thought, what he wished and what it hurt for him to lose. For some reason though, Ben wasn't even angered by this.

Finn felt slightly intimidated, figuring that Ben probably knew what he'd thought at that moment, but was relieved to hear a very calm "Thank you." instead.

Finn nodded feeling a second tear rush down his face as he looked down, stepping away slowly back towards the crowd of Resistance Fighters.

The fighters looked around, trying to find a cue from the others on how to react. After a few moments of complete silence, the entire group turned walking back towards the base.

Poe sighed, "I'm sorry guys, but I still don't think they want you hanging around here."

"I understand." Ben replied

"Ben-," Leia began

"Mom, it's okay..." he reassured

She sighed, smiling at her son and remembering that he'd always have Rey. "I know. As long as the two of you are together I know you both will be alright."

"Mom, is it alright if I speak with you privately for a moment?" Ben asked

"Of course, come with me." Leia responded guiding her son away from the group.

Finn, Poe, and Rose were then left surrounding Rey.

"I'm sorry it's gotta be like this Rey," Poe said regretfully, "but these guys have been through a lot, and I think we all just need some time after this war to process everything."

Rey nodded.

Rose then took Rey's hands comfortingly seeing the distraught in her eyes, "If you ever need to have some girl talk, I'm here for you." She smiled, "And I can't wait to meet your little one."

"Yeah, you two are gonna be amazing parents. I wish you guys all the best." Finn added

Rey hugged her three friends, wishing desperately to see them again soon.

"I'll miss you." She told her dearest friends before Ben and Leia returned.

"I'll come with you two as soon as I help them sort out everything, I promise." She said giving Rey and her son a hug each.

"Thank you for everything, Leia." Rey spoke sincerely

"No Rey, thank you for making my son happy again."

Leia smiled warmly at them. "Alright you two, get going before we all start being emotional." She said watching them board the Millennium Falcon. Rey gave Chewie a hug and took the box with the two little Porgs.

He then looked at Ben and gave him a warning noise of his own, telling him that if he ever so much as hurt Rey he'd be after him in a heartbeat.

"I won't." Ben promised with a chuckle

The group laughed at their interaction, though their hearts were torn by the situation at a whole.

With heavy hearts, Ben and Rey boarded the Millennium Falcon, off on their own once again.

_**Hope you guys like the chapter today! **_

_**But what is it that Ben spoke to Leia about? And where could he and Rey be going next? Let's find out tomorrow! :) **_

_**-Michelle**_


	22. Chapter 22

"Where to now?" Rey asked smiling as she joined Ben in the cockpit.

"Anywhere you want." He responded as she observed him with a pleased expression.

"I love you sitting in your father's seat." She mentioned, "it suits you."

"I'm not about to be a smuggler..."

"Maybe not a smuggler... but definitely a scoundrel." She smirked setting two arms around his chest.

"I'll be cleaning up in the refresher." She said and kissed his cheek sweetly before she turned and walked away.

He sighed trying to calm himself from the incident with the Resistance as he piloted the ship outside the planet's atmosphere. Setting the ship on autopilot, he then reached into his pocket and clutched the small box his mother had given him in their conversation, suddenly feeling visions appear. They were of Endor, just over 30 years ago. Something was telling him to go there.

Almost as if the force willed it, he moved his hand over to the controls and changed the coordinates of their destination.

"Ben, I'm proud of you." Said a voice from the corner of the room.

Ben was stunned at first to hear a man's voice, only he and Rey had boarded the ship. He turned his head to see the force ghost of someone he'd never met before. But his presence was peaceful, almost familiar even though they were strangers.

"It's me, your grandfather, Anakin..." he said

"I know..." Ben spoke still in startled by his sudden visit.

Anakin then came around the seat and sat beside him.

"Where were you, all those years I called for you?" Ben asked

"Calling for you..."

"What do you mean?"

"You were calling out to Vader. I ceased to be Vader right before my death. I have been Anakin Skywalker ever since..."

Ben sighed, knowing this was the truth, and the one he dreaded. After years of asking for guidance, and learning that no one was listening made him feel ashamed inside. Incredibly foolish for allowing Snoke to twist his mind into believing Vader could really hear him and would answer someday.

"Ben, the important thing is that you realize this now." Anakin said sensing his thoughts, "and you came back. Now you have a chance at being happy."

Ben thought for a moment. Clutching the small box in his pocket and feeling anxious about Rey.

"Thinking about Rey and the baby aren't you?" Anakin said

"I feel terrible about everything..." Ben said regretfully, "she's 20... and just spent 14 years of her life in isolation on Jakku of all places... there's no way that she wants all this yet." Ben said with tears emerging in his eyes.

Anakin sighed, "half of it's already happened though hasn't it?"

Ben looked up at him in confusion.

"And she's still here with you isn't she? She defended you against the Resistance and her friends."

Ben looked down realizing this but still felt anxiety creep up on him.

"How do I know she isn't doing this over responsibility? Just because she's already pregnant and I'm the father? We never would have met on Hoth if it wasn't to discuss our plan."

"Do you think of her in that way?" Anakin asked, "a responsibility?"

"No. Never. I'd do anything for her."

Anakin calmly smiled and nodded his head as he remembered being exactly where Ben was right at this moment.

"Reach out to her. Talk to her. If she's still here after everything you've been through, it must mean something. Trust me. I had terrible moments also. And the fact that your grandmother stayed with me throughout everything meant that she truly cared."

"You had my mother and uncle after you were married. And my grandmother was 27 when they were born."

"Ben, aside from ages, you need to speak with her and be honest about your fears, hopes, and everything along those lines. You both have created your situation and must adjust. But if you ask her what she wants to do with it, it may not be too different than what you want."

Ben nodded silently.

"I need to ask you something else..." Ben began, "how do I help her with those dreams? The ones I had my entire life until they consumed me."

"With patience, with comfort, and with reassuring your support. Dreams are almost never an accurate revelation of your future. We both learned in the most terrible ways that one creates their future with each choice they make. Those voices are meant to scare you away from doing the right thing because they know being braver than your fears is the greatest test that one can face."

"Then what is this imbalance she talks about? That if we are a dyad of the light our child will be turned to darkness."

"That does sound like it would work within the rules of the force, balancing, unless all of you would meet in the middle."

"So to all be neutral force users? Without aligning with the Jedi or Sith?"

"Exactly. It is difficult, but it has been done by other force users."

Ben looked down with a worried expression. The reason why many gravitated toward being a Sith or Jedi was because the expectations were clear and belief systems so vastly different one could easily tell them apart. Being a grey Jedi, or neutral force user required an intense ability to control one's emotions and use them to their advantage without drowning in ones like anger, fear, and pain. Ben could imagine himself and Rey trying this, but the expectation of training a young child to control their emotions in such a complex way was overwhelming.

He turned to his grandfather, about to ask how he and Rey could even begin to train another force user in neutral ways. But Anakin had already vanished into the force. These were questions that the couple could be guided through but ultimately needed to discover answers for themselves.

He then took a deep breath. Taking the box from his pocket and hiding it in one of the storage units. He came here just to be with Rey, and that's exactly what he intended to do. He needed to talk to her. Indulge in her company. Anything.

Standing up, he exited the cockpit and made his way to the private quarters of the Falcon.

_**Sorry for the short chapter! I went to see The Rise of Skywalker a third time today and cried but hey I survived! Thanks for reading and of course a new chapter tomorrow! -Michelle**_


	23. Chapter 23

**_(Surprise_** **_Reylos! ;) _**

**_WARNING, this chapter contains sexual content. Please skip ahead to the indicated "Safe Section" if you would like to skip. Otherwise please enjoy_** **_the chapter and review ;)_**

He turned one of the corners to the refresher, removing his boots and pants so that he was in nothing but his shirt and underwear. He opened the door nearly making Rey jump behind the glass doors to cover herself and then laugh at seeing Ben dressed in what he was.

He walked up to the shower swiftly removing his shirt.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Rey laughed seeing him open the door of the shower and enter beside her.

"What do you think?" He asked stroking her sides and taking her lips roughly.

Without even a moment to think, Rey leaned into the kiss finding her hands running through his wet hair.

As he pressed her against the wall, with her breasts up against his chest, Rey slid her hand down his back finding the waistband of his underwear and tugging them down his legs. Feeling the black material fall to the floor, Rey could already feel herself ache at the proximity of him. Without even realizing it, she began arching her hips to meet his. Ben finally broke the kiss gasping for air, as sparks ignited inside of him at the feeling of her.

"Ben..." Rey trailed off feeling the sensation of his breath upon her neck and then lips attack it ever so sensually.

Slowly he reached out toward the faucet and shut it off.

"What are you doing?" She asked

"I'm not sure it would be too comfortable here." He explained, "plus, we only have a limited water supply."

He reached a hand out, opening the door and lifted her into his arms.

Without even stopping for them to dry he carried her all the way to the sleeping quarters and laid her down gently before moving his body atop of her and attacking her lips once again. It was electric, the feelings that they mutually conjured in one another.

"Ben you're insane." Rey laughed

"But you like that." He responded gently cupping one of her breasts with his hand and kneading it gently.

"You know me too well." She said through a sharp breath at the sensation.

"Tou-" Rey breathily began to request by stopped herself

"What is it?" He asked slowly sliding his hands down her her breasts and using two fingers at the nipple and sending her into a feverish state.

All she could do was lie there, feeling a shake take over her body at being touched so perfectly. She only wished it would be in a slightly different place.

He then placed his lips at the base of her neck, tracing gentle kisses on the skin at her collar bone and all the way down to her breasts, taking a nipple in his mouth and sensing her mind reel at the sensation.

"Ben..." her voiced dragged on almost as if she was begging him.

"Tell me what you want..." He whispered with such a tone in his voice that the vibrations could be sensed from the tips of her breasts to the deepest part of her core.

"Everything..." She admitted breathily.

He lifted his face as their eyes caught onto one another's

"We'll see..." he whispered teasingly and stroking her face.

In a completely unexpected move, Rey somehow used one of her legs and arms to overpower him when he was caught off guard, pushing his back toward the bed as she straddled him from atop.

"You aren't the only one who decides how this goes." she said

"Aren't you just full of surprises?" He asked

"Shhh." She smiled deviously setting a finger to his mouth and kissing his neck intensely.

He didn't exactly know where she was going with this but he could hope.

She slid her lips ever so sensually down his chest breathing onto his perfectly toned abdomen, as her hands gravitated towards his thighs.

"Rey..." he nearly groaned feeling her lips descend lower and lower.

"So you know how it is..." she hissed with an edge of eroticism.

"How what is?" He managed to get out before her mouth encased his hardening member.

Her work was electric to him. Never before had he experienced such a thing, let alone by someone who drove him to insanity when they were at each other's mercies, or at any time really.

"Fuck, I love you, Rey." He blurted before she started laughing at his cheesy proclamation in the middle of everything. Now the vibrations of her laughed rocked through him in such a way he felt heightened and near his end.

He was so desperately close and wanted nothing more than to let her continue. But it would be rude of him not to warn her. She would be caught off guard in her frenzied state, and probably wouldn't enjoy the feeling of such a release. He did many questionable things. But he respected Rey enough to consider this.

"Rey..." he breathed sitting forcing her to release him from her mouth. Shaking his head ever so slightly in warning that she wouldn't enjoy the outcome of what she was doing, he took her hand steadily and placed it back on him. She pumped gently at first, using her fingers to trace it as it was much too large for her entire hand to work on at once. Then she continued, strengthening her methods the more she seen his head roll back and curse until he finally came.

For only a moment he lay there breathless, trying to find the strength to flip her around as she did to him and ravish her.

"Don't think about it unless you want me to do it." She smirked before attacking the swollen lips that centered his blushed face.

Without much warning, the comment was enough to reignite the sparks within him, pushing her around underneath him.

"We'll see who thinks about it more." He whispered to her again taking his lips to her most personal area, his tongue instantly managing to find her clitoris in a sensation that made her muscles tense and mind reel.

He took his hands and reached towards her breasts, small, but erect and rising and falling rhythmically to the waves of pleasure emerging in her body.

"Ben..." she warned with shaking legs and edge that was rapidly nearing.

After a moment, he wrapped his arms around her legs, getting the best position on her before she came with hips grinding against his mouth, dripping with saliva and other bodily fluids.

He gently kissed her entrance before rising and finding her lips once again.

She lay there panting along with him, staring into each other's eyes and nearly making each other laugh at the heated atmosphere.

"You ready to finish it?" She asked completely out of breath enticing him as she turned resting her weight on her hands and knees. The sight alone was enough to set him off all over again.

"You sure you want to do that?" He asked awkwardly but in concern for her pregnancy. "We haven't done anything since before..." he stopped himself, realizing she probably didn't want to hear it.

"It's been a week..." she sighed, "and you healed me..."

"The doctor told you not to-"

"We just went in battle..." she groaned, "besides, I want to do this for you..." she argued

"You sure about that?" He said nearly amused at her eagerness of him.

"Of course. You know what I prefer... and don't.." she dragged off blushing at her own words.

"Rey... turn around." He said seriously but with a hint of amusement. "I'm not about to let you hold yourself on your hands and knees for 10 minutes."

"Like you ever take that long..." she said rolling her eyes teasingly as he moved her to her back.

"You wish I didn't. It's too much for you to handle." He played along.

"Try me." She challenged as he immediately pulled one of her legs to the side. He inched himself closer, taking his throbbing erection and using the tip to guide him into the right place.

Rey took a deep breath feeling him fill her, and then gently slide backward, and forward once again until he settled. Eventually, he found a rhythm that became faster, and deeper and sent him closer to another edge of his own. With sharp breaths he called out Rey's name, cursing at the intense waves of pleasure.

Rey wrapped his legs around his, trying to hold on until the end, watching him come with grunts and heavy pants for air.

He removed himself, lying beside her and holding her close. Both turned to their sides so that they faced each other in this embrace.

_** (SAFE SECTION)**_

"I love you, Ben." She spoke piercing into the silence between their rugged breathing.

"I love you, Rey..." he said

She combed through his hair gently with her fingers, feeling the glaze of sweat that covered his neck.

"So much for that shower." She said making the two of them laugh.

As their breathing returned to normal, he suggested they return to the shower, with the added challenge of trying to keep their hands off each other.

"You're terrible." She joked

"But you like that." He told her with a kiss.

Once they got out of the shower, fully dressed for bed and lying beside one another, Rey finally realized she never asked something.

"Where are we going?"

"The Forest Moon of Endor.."

"Endor...that's out of nowhere..." she remarked having no idea where he'd come up with that idea.

"It's a beautiful place. I thought you might like to see it. I haven't been there since I was very young." He explained, "my mother befriended the locals there during the last war."

"Ben your mother befriends everyone she's Princess, Senator, General Leia Organa-Solo."

"No one has said her name like that in years." He pointed out, figuring that she had dropped the Solo name from her's on all paperwork since the separation.

Rey smiled gently, "She never removed Solo from her official name. And when she introduces herself... she uses it again... ever since your father-" Rey stopped herself.

The two looked aside awkwardly. The conversation went too far again.

"My point was that Endor is a beautiful place..." Ben set them back on the right conversation, "we just have to be wary of any local entanglements."

"What do you mean?" Rey asked

"Ever heard of an Ewok?" He asked.

"No..."

"Well, my mother isn't here to clear anything up with them. We'll have to land somewhere remote and away from their establishments."

Rey was confused about how any creature could be too difficult for them to deal with but nodded anyway.

"Try to get some sleep." Ben suggested.

"Goodnight." Rey smiled, kissing his lips gently before turning the other way and turning off the light. Ben did the same, and as the room went dark whispered a "goodnight" to Rey before shutting his eyes.


	24. Chapter 24

The next morning as they prepared breakfast, one of the ship's computers lit up with an incoming call. It was Leia. Rey immediately answered, seeing Leia's hologram appear.

"Leia, how are you?" Rey asked taking a seat.

"I'm well, thank you. Just trying to help establish a new government back here." She smiled, "anyways, how are you three?" She asked

Rey smiled at Leia's question. "I'm alright. and she's doing wonderful. As for Ben... I believe he's trying to learn how to use a nanowave stove at the moment." she said sharing a laugh with Leia

"He isn't exactly known for his cuisine but I'm delighted that he's making an effort." Leia replied

"I'll have you know," Ben began as he entered the room, "I don't think this is half bad."

"Hello Ben." Leia nearly laughed

"Hi mom, how are you?" He asked

Leia sighed, "I'm doing well, but to tell you the truth I'm not really up for all this political stuff anymore. It was everything for almost my entire life, but I just don't feel that it suits me anymore. With the baby on the way, I'd like to spend some time with you both and get to know her when she arrives."

"We would be more than happy for you to live with us Leia," Rey began, "but doesn't the resistance need your guidance to rebuild another Republic?"

"Honestly, I almost feel like what they need is a new generation of ideas. These younger individuals have just gone through a war. They are more likely to agree on much more now that they've seen and expirienced to effects of tyranny. What I've been helping with the past week is discussing aspects of the New Republic and why it fell. But something they all keep asking me about as a matter of fact, is if you will return in a few years after you complete your training to reestablish a Jedi order."

Rey stopped for a moment. 'Me? Build a Jedi order?' She thought

"I will help you reach the title of Master, Rey. But my role was never to do something of this magnitude."

Rey swallowed. Feeling nervous about the request of any Jedi order. Hadn't creating one began the downfall of Luke and the rise of Snoke and Kylo Ren? But if Leia had brought this up, she must have had pressure on her by the politicians to do so.

"Would they like a meeting?" Rey asked hesitantly

"I'm sure they would. Would you like me to arrange one?" Leia asked

"Yes... that would be fine." Rey answered

"General," a voice came from Leia's end, "Captain Dameron has requested to speak with you."

"Tell him just a moment, Lieutenant Connix, thank you." She told her as the girl nodded and turned away.

"I have to go, but I will speak to you two soon, please, take care." She said

The three exchanged farewells as the image dissolved.

Rey truly did not want this monumental of a task on her hands. But who else was their left besides her? Everyone hated Ben. It's not like he'd be able to be the Jedi Master for her.

—-

Several hours later, deep into their sleep, Rey's mind drifted again. She was surrounded by a frigid darkness, feeling a deep anxiety creep up on her.

"I hate you!" A male voice shouted, echoing in the distance as she spun around to see a woman, not much younger than her, with dark flowing hair and yellow eyes rush toward her with Kylo Ren's abandoned red lightsaber. Instinctively she pulled Leia's saber from her belt, blocking the strike as her eyes searched for clues on where she was.

Lava surrounded them. And Ben lied on the floor motionless, a wound visible through his Jedi robes and Anakin's lightsaber beside him heavily damaged.

"Who are you?!" Rey shouted, paralyzed with fear by the sight of Ben's corpse.

The girl suddenly pushed her back using the force, clearly overpowering her as Rey fell to the ground losing grasp of Leia's saber.

The girl stared at Rey with her pulsing yellow eyes and devilish smile, pointing Kylo Ren's red lightsaber towards her threateningly.

"You don't need me to tell you that." The girl hissed, catching Rey look towards Ben in horror. "He was weak. Turning for you. But you are valuable. You will answer to my new master now."

"My masters are Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa-Solo. Why should I answer to yours?" Rey said bravely.

The girl simply laughed, "you claim my family like it is yours. Remember that you came from nothing. And are still nothing. Kylo Ren was right to tell you that."

"Kylo Ren is dead." Rey fired back

"Because he was foolish. I shall finish what he started."

"Who is he to you?!" Rey hissed

"Take a guess, 'mother'." The girl spoke hauntingly before striking Rey with the blood-red saber, waking her up in a cold sweat.

Instantly, she sat up in bed, her eyes beginning to water and mind in pieces. It wasn't more than a few moments until Ben shot up and turned on the light, sensing Rey's distress.

"Another one?" He asked with concern

She nodded

"Tell me." He implored

"A girl... she was attacking me. She had just killed you. But she was so strong. Probably stronger than us together…"

"Rey," Ben began as he held her tightly. Throughout all their time knowing each other before these dreams, he'd never even suspected there were times when she would even have the capability to fall and cry in someone's arms. He was happy to be trusted enough to see her like this, but it wasn't the invincibly strong and courageous woman he knew Rey to be. The one that intimidated him during their battle on Starkiller base and the one that in almost her own way seduced him the first time they touched hands through the force bond. Something was deeply scarring her mind and he wished more than anything he could just take it away.

"Those dreams... they're not real. They're your fears testing you. Don't give in to them. That's what they want."

"What who wants?" Rey asked as the two fell silent.

"Rey, they're only dreams. Snoke was the last of the remnants of the Sith."

"There's never a last forever..." she spoke searching Ben's eyes. He felt the overwhelming truth in her proclamation but did not want to believe that killing Snoke would still not guarantee her protection.

"I wouldn't let anyone hurt you. Or her." He said laying a hand on her abdomen, "and you know that."

"And I guarantee that's exactly what your mother and uncle felt about you. But we can't always protect everything."

Her words pierced his heart like a rusted dagger. Had he not just taken down the first order to protect Rey, their daughter, and his mother?

"That's not what I mean." she clarified, "We cannot be Jedi, Ben. There is no way I can start a Jedi order."

"What do you mean?!" He asked in shock, "you have to continue what Luke started. What my mother is asking you to do. For the galaxy. I can't-"

"No! If we remain on the path to becoming Jedi we will imbalance the force. Just look at what I did on Ajan Kloss. How I attacked those First Order sympathizers..."

"Darkness..." he told her.

"Yes. But if we can learn to use it and not let it consume us, it will be our ally."

"Like a grey Jedi?" He questioned

"No. No Jedi. No Sith. We use light and darkness together. We use the force in its pure form."

"What are they going to say about this?" He asked concerned about the upcoming Newer Republic.

"They want to stick to their old ways. But that will only bring their downfall once again. The Republic relied on a Jedi order to protect it. Only for Palpatine and Darth Vader to rise. Years later after Luke rebuilt the new Jedi Order during the New Republic, Snoke would rise to counteract it. We have our examples Ben, the mistakes must end with us. Worst of all..." she said nearly succumbing to more tears, "the girl in the dream that killed us… she was ours. We can't let this happen to her." She said covering her eyes with her hand in guilt and frustration as she laid her head on the pillow.

Ben laid beside her and pulled her close to him, feeling her tears drench his shirt he kissed her gently on the head.

"I know you're strong, Rey. But whatever it is. I support you. We get through it together. Remember that you're not alone." He spoke echoing his words from the force bond that night.

"I know..." she whispered feeling comforted by his closeness.

"We'll be on the Endor moon tomorrow." He spoke softly gently pushing some of her hair away from her face, "I know you will love it there." He said trying to change the subject, "and after that... we go anywhere we want. We're free now." He said stroking her face soothingly, "and when we go to the meeting my mother is scheduling, we will tell them about training force users in balanced studies."

Rey took a deep breath into the warmth of his chest. "You have to teach me about the darkness. You're the only one of us who has trained heavily on both sides."

"If that's what you wish, I will." He finally agreed, "but promise me you'll never let it destroy who you are."

"I promise." She said, leaning her head on his shoulder and then smiled, "I love you, Ben."

"I love you." He spoke softly and kissed her. Before they found sleep take over them once again.

There was truly nothing like the support he gave her. Yes, they had a very intense past, but he'd been through it all and back and provided her with a strange sense of ease that when they stood together, everything would be alright.

_**Hey everyone! I'm so sorry I couldn't upload for a few days. I've been thinking about this storyline a lot and am still working on how to include the ideas I talked about before. Originally, since I started this story before the Rise of Skywalker came out, Rey really was going to be related to no one significant in this fanfiction, so I'm pretty sure I'm going to keep it that way. Anyways, they're still going to have these looming threats from Rey's dreams and the demands from the Newer Republic for a new Jedi Order pulling at them from both sides, but there will be plenty of sad and sweet moments along the way too! Hope you enjoy and I'll try my best to make sure a new chapter can still be released at least every other day. Unfortunately, I go back to school Monday for my last semester of High school so it may have to change to once or twice a week :( Anyways, please review and let me know how you feel the story's going so far! Don't worry, it's not over yet, but some time restraints may affect how quickly new chapters come out. -Michelle**_


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